y* 


............  6../IL 


JVo 

Division 

Range 

Shelf. 

Received 


"MY 

'  A  flowery  crown  will  I  compose, 
I'll  weave  the  Crocus,  weave  the  Rose ; 
I'll  weave  Narcissus,  newly  wet, 
The  Hyacinth  and  Violet ; 
The  Myrtle  shall  supply  me  green, 
And  Lilies  laugh  in  light  between. 
That  the  rich  tendrils  of  my  darling's  hair 
May  burst  into  their  crowning  flowers,  and  light  the  painted  air  " 


EVERY    WOMAN 


ZEUEIR    OWIET 


A  HANDY  MANUAL  OF 


FLOWER  GARDENING  POR  LADIES. 


BY  MRS.  S.  O.  JOHNSON. 

(  "  DAISY  EYEBRIGHT."  ) 


FOURTH   EDITION. 


NEW  YORK: 

T.  WILLIAMS,     -     -     - 
of  i\t  horticulturist. 
1874. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  eighteen  hundred  and  seventy-one,  by 

HENRY  T.  WILLIAMS, 
in  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


VAN  BENTHUYSEN  PRINTING  HOUSE, 

Stereotypers  and  Printers, 

Albany,  N.  Y. 


• 

CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I.                                                 PAGE. 
The  Flower  Garden— Its  Uses,  etc..... 5 

CHAPTER  II. 
Construction  of  Beds — Beds  in  Lawn — Ribbon  Gardening — Rockeries — Directions  for 

Massing  Flowers — Diagrams  for  laying  out  Gardens 12 

CHAPTER  III. 

Annuals— Their  Culture  and  Varieties— A  List  of  the  Most  Desirable  for  Amateur  Gar- 
deners  ,.  18 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Perennials — Biennials — Their  Treatment,  etc. — Lists  of  Most  Desirable  Varieties 27 

-     ........  V. 

Geraniums— Pelargoniums— The  Difference  between  the  two  Plants— Their  Culture 
and  Varieties— Double  Geraniums— The  Zonale  Geraniums— The  Liliputian  Tribe — 
Lists  of  Desirables  and  Novelties 32 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Bedding  out  Plants — Pansies — Verbenas — Heliotropes — Feverfews,  etc 38 

CHAPTER  VII. 
The  Fuchsia 47 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
The  Cultivation  of  the  Rose 52 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Ornamental  Vine , ,     62 


IV  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  X.                                                    PAGE. 
Ornamental  Shrubs  for  Garden  and  Lawn 69 

CHAPTER  XI.  ' 
The  Carnation  and  Picotee  Pinks 73 

CHAPTER   XII. 

Herbaceous  Plants — Paeonies — Phloxes — Chrysanthemums — Delphiniums — and  a  Select 
List  of  Desirable  Herbaceous  Flowers 77 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Immortelles,  or  Everlasting  Flowers  and  Ornamental  Grasses — Acroliniums — Globe 
Amaranths — Helicrysums — Helipterium  Sanfordii — Rodanthes — Xeranthemums — 
and  a  Select  List  of  Grasses,  Annual  and  Perennial , 83 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Ornamental  Foliaged  Plants  —  Coleus  — Achyranthus  —  Caladiums  —  Silver  Leaved 
Plants— C annas,  etc. — Tri-colored  Geraniums,  Gold  and  Silver  Edged 89 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Summer  Flowering  Bulbs— Japan  Lilies— Gladiolus— Dahlias— Vallota,  etc 96 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Spring  Flowering  Bulbs — Snowdrops — Crocuses — Hyacinths — Tulips — Daffodils — Jon- 
quils— Narcissus — Polyanthus  Narcissus — Lilies  of  the  Valley,  etc 107 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Old  Fashioned  Flowers 119 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Vegetables  and  Hotbeds 122 

CHAPTER   XIX. 
Arrangement  of  Bouquets,  Vases,  etc. — Flowers  in  Churches 132 

CHAPTER  XX. 

General  Management  of  the  Garden — The  Soil — Selection  of  Seeds — Weeding — Water- 
ing— Planting  out — Pruning,  etc. — Saving  of  Seeds — Preparing  Pots — Taking  up 
and  Preserving  Flowers  in  Winter — Sleep  of  Flowers — Insects — Cultivate  the 
Beautiful  everywhere— Lines  of  Mrs.  Howitts— Let  us  Teach  our  Children  to  Love 
Flowers  rather  than  Fashion 139 


OHAPTEE   L 


THE  FLOWEB-GrABDEtf — ITS  ROMANCE  AND  KEALITY. 

"  There's  not  a  flower  can  grow  upon  the  earth 
Without  a  flower  upon  the  spiritual  side; 
All  that  we  see  is  pattern  of  what  shall  be  in  the  mount, 
Belated  royally,  and  built  up  to  eterne  significance. 

There's  nothing  small; 
No  lily,  muffled  hum  of  summer  bee, 
But  finds  its  coupling  in  the  spinning  stars; 
No  pebble  at  your  feet  but  proves  a  sphere;  • 

No  chaffinch  but  implies  a  cherubim; 

Earth  is  full  of  heaven, 
And  every  common  bush  a-fire  with  God.'' 

A  beautiful  garden,  tastefully  laid  out,  and  well  kept,  is  a  certain 
evidence  of  taste,  refinement  and  culture.  It  makes  a  lowly  cottage 
attractive,  and  lends  a  charm  to  the  stateliest  palace. 

An  English  writer,  lately  visiting  our  country,  writes : 

"  I  can  conceive  of  nothing  more  dreary  than  to  live  in  the  country 
and  have  no  garden.  To  have  no  garden  is  to  take  the  poetry,  and 
nearly  all  the  charms  away  from  country  life.  To  have  a  garden,  is  to 
have  many  friends  continually  near. 

"  What  a  difference  between  what  Mr.  Carlyle  calls  an  '  umbrageous 
man's  rest,  in  which  a  king  might  wish  to  sit  and  smoke,  and  call  it 
his,'  with  its  roses,  and  honeysuckles,  and  fuchsias  clambering  in 
through  the  very  windows  in  crowds,  and  the  dreary,  arid  prospect 
around  thousands  of  American  houses!" 


6  EVERT   WOMAN  HER   OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

This  hardly  seems  a  fair  criticism  upon  our  homes.  Having  been 
an  enthusiastic  lover  of  flowers  from  childhood,  and  having  cultivated 
them  ever  since  the  use  of  the  hands  was  learned,  I  cannot  recognize 
its  truth ; — have  never  known  of  many  such  houses,  as  he  describes.  Yet 
many  American  writers  will  declare  that  slender  porticos,  fanciful 
verandas,  sculptured  gables,  and  deep  bay  windows  are  often  seen  in 
this  country,  without  a  vestige  of  a  flower  or  climbing  vine  about  them ; 
while  in  England,  the  poorest  laborer's  cot  is  a  bower  of  greenery ;  and 
his  little  plat  of  flowers,  often  vies  with  that  of  his  employer. 

It  is  not  always  wealth  or  art  that  gives  to  English  homes  their 
beauty  and  picturesqueness,  but  it  is  the  attention  of  their  inmates,  to 
the  cultivation  of  the  "Green  things  of  the  earth" 

It  is  not  the  latticed  casement  nor  the  high  gable  that  attracts  the 
notice  of  the  traveler,  but  the  brilliant  flowers  and  the  trailing  vines 
that  drape  and  embower  them. 

American  women  live  in-doors  too  much,  and  thus  sacrifice  their 
health  and  spirits.  They  cultivate  neuralgia,  dyspepsia,  and  all  their 
attendant  ills — rather  than  the  beautiful  and  glorious  flowers  which 
God  has  scattered  so  abundantly  all  over  the  world. 

This  little  pamphlet  is  written  for  the  purpose  of  coaxing  them  to 
come  out  into  the  sunshine,  and  begging  them  to 

4 '  List  to  Nature's  teachings." 

A  little  garden,  all  one's  own,  is  a  real  Eden !  Earth  possesses  no 
greater  charm;  and  there  is  no  cosmetic  equal  to  the  fresh,  sweet  morn- 
ing air,  and  the  cheerful  sunshine. 

You  can  make  no  investment  which  will  give  you  such  interest; 
health,  happiness,  and  pure  enjoyment  will  be  the  coin  in  which  it  is 
paid ;  and  the  returns  are  not  made  semi-annually,  but  daily. 

With  what  intense  delight  one  watches  the  first  tiny  leaves  of  the 
seeds  one  has  planted ;  and  what  pleasure  one  takes  in  the  unfolding 
of  the  first  flower !  A  grand  garden  cared  for  by  a  gardener,  can  never 
give  its  possessor  as  much  delight  as  one  in  which  nearly  all  the  work 
is  done  by  one's  own  hands. 

To  be  sure,  Pat  O'Shovelem's  aid  is  needful  to  prepare  the  ground,  lay 
out  the  beds,  and  harden  the  walks ;  but,  gentler,  smaller  hands  can 
plant  the  seeds  and  roots,  can  keep  down  the  weeds,  tie  up,  stake,  train, 
water  and  prune. 


EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  7 

I  have  little  faith  in  American  women  becoming  farmers, — holding 
the  plow — wielding  the  spade  or  the  shovel;  but  I  do  know  from  long 
experience,  that  all  the  rest  of  the  work  can  be  accomplished  by  women, 
if  they  possess  a  love  for  the  beautiful.  There  lies  the  trouble ;  few  of 
our  children  are  taught  to  garden ;  if  they  possess  a  natural  taste  for 
the  pursuit,  sometimes  it  is  gratified,  but  not  always. 

Mrs.  Japonica  and  Miss  McFlimsey  hold  up  their  hands  in  holy  >' 
horror  at  the  very  idea  of  any  of  their  kindred  soiling  their  hands  with 
the  work. 

"Flora  work  among  her  namesakes!"  they  exclaim;  "forbid  it  all 
Japonicadom ! " 

Yet  how  much  harder  do  they  work  at  the  crowded  party  or  ball ! 
To  dance  the  "  German,"  requires  quite  as  much  physical  strength  as  to 
plant  a  flower-garden,  and  rake  off  the  weeds; — but  that  is  the  fashion, 
and  beef  tea  and  stimulants  must  be  resorted  to,  to  sustain  the  feeble 
knees,  uplift  the  nerveless  fingers.  Women  can  find  strength  to  culti- 
vate a  garden  successfully,  if  they  will  commence  by  degrees.  If  their 
muscles  and  sinews  are  not  accustomed  to  the  work,  they  will  soon 
rebel  against  it  when  forced  to  attend  to  it  for  several  hours  at  once. 

Garden  by  degrees,  my  friends,  and  cultivate  your  muscles,  with  your  "£ 
plants ! 

An  hour,  or  even  half  an  hour,  is  long  enough  for  a  commencement, 
and  the  next  day  extend  the  time  ten  minutes,  and  so  on,  until  you  can 
work  for  three,  or  even  six  hours  in  succession. 

But  take  it  easy ;  provide  an  old  piece  of  carpeting  to  kneel  upon 
while  planting,  or  weeding  with  a  fork;    and  if  your  knees  are  not 
accustomed  to  that  position,  humor  them  by  placing  an  empty  raisin  or 
soap  box  upon  the  carpet,  and  sit  upon  that; — and  if  a  cushion  would 
also  be  agreeable,  cover  a  small  pillow  with  some  dark  chintz,  and 
place  that  on  the  box.    Now  you  will  have  a  luxurious  seat,  and  can 
garden  without  a  sense  of  pain;  yet  don't  stay  too  long,  nor  become  too 
muck  heated.    The  carpeting  protects  the  skirts  from  the  dampness  of  | 
the  soil,  and  should  always  be  used.    It  can  be  kept  conveniently  at  ( y 
hand,  with  the  box  and  the  cushion. 

Of  course,  flounces,  puifs,  and  furbelows,  with  their  accompanying 
upper  skirts,  are  not  suitable  for  such  occupations.  A  dark  chintz 
dress  is  the  best,  for  it  can  go  into  the  wash-tub  when  it  is  in  need  of 
cleansing.  A  woolen  bathing  dress  makes  an  excellent  garden  costume 


8  EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

— for  skirts  are  always  in  the  way.  If  it  is  admissible  on  the  beach, 
where  wealth  and  fashion  do  congregate,  why  not  in  the  garden,  sur- 
rounding one's  house  ? 

A  large  shade  hat,  and  a  pair  of  old  kid  gloves  are  indispensable.  Kub- 
ber  gloves  are  often  recommended,  but  are  far  top  clumsy  for  the  fingers. 

Now,  the  dress  is  bespoken,  and  we  must  purchase  the  tools  required. 
A  large  three-pronged  iron  fork,  with  a  short  handle,  is  needful  for 
loosening  the  ground,  removing  plants  and  uprooting  weeds.  I  should 
rather  do  without  a  trowel  than  such  a  fork.  They  can  be  purchased 
of  all  hardware  dealers. 

A  small  set  of  tools,  comprising  a  rake  and  hoe  on  one  handle,  a 
trowel,  and  a  spade,  are  very  essential.  With  their  aid  much  light  work 
can  be  accomplished  without  calling  upon  Mr.  O'Shovelem. 

A  watering  pot,  with  a  large  nozzle,  and  a  fine  sprinkler,  is  also 
required. 

With  these  implements,  every  woman  can  ~be  Tier  own  gardener — and 
not  only  raise  all  the  flowers  she  may  desire,  but  also  contribute  a  large 
share  of  the  vegetables  that  are  always  welcomed  at  the  table,  during 
both  summer  and  winter. 

The  cultivation  of  the  soil  possesses  a  wonderful  fascination ;  its  very 
odor,  after  a  refreshing  shower,  is  inspiring ;  and  as  you  gather  your 
flowers,  you  will  also  gather  improvement  in  many  ways. 

"He  made  them  all,  and  what  He  designs,  can  ne'er  be  deemed 
unworthy  of  our  study,  and  our  love."  If  we  see  a  pot  of  flowers  in  a 
window,  it  gives  us  respect  for  the  inmates  of  the  dwelling — but  if  we 
see  a  beauteous  garden,  "  A  'brilliant  carpet  of  unnumbered  dyes"  we 
know  that  there  is  taste  and  refinement  within  that  home. 

On  the  European  continent,  women  work  in  the  fields  with  the  men, 
and  become  beasts  of  burden.  I  hope  never  to  see  them  thus,  in  this 
more  favored  land,  but  I  do  desire  to  have  them  take  a  daily  interval 
from  the  labor  and  care  of  the  house,  and  breathe  into  their  hearts  the 
oxygen  and  iron  contained  in  the  fresh  air;  taste  the  balm  and  the 
tonic  of  the  sunlight  and  the  garden. 

Every  day  there  is  some  work  to  be  done,  if  the  garden  is  well  kept. 
There  is  no  need  of  having  a  "  weeding-day,"  like  a  "  washing-day," — for 
the  weeds  can  be  kept  down,  daily.  Every  morning  dig  over  one  or  two 
beds,  according  to  their  size, — and  continue  the  work  until  all  are 
cleaned  up.  Then  commence  again,  and  thus  prevent  the  soil  from 


EVERY    WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER   GARDENER.  9 

becoming  baked ;  and  let  the  air  and  moisture  enter  the  earth,  and 
nourish  the  tender  roots. 

That  is  my  way  of  gardening.  After  the  beds  are  made,  the  walks 
prepared,  no  man's  hand  or  foot  enters  the  sacred  precinct,  excepting 
to  admire,  and  to  receive  the  flowers. 

In  the  early  spring  time  a  half  hour  may  suffice  to  exhaust  the  little 
strength  one  possesses,  but  before  October  comes,  with  its  autumnal 
glories,  several  hours  can  be  passed  in  out-door  work  without  much 
sense  of  fatigue. 

All  the  delights  of  a  garden  are  not  comprised  in  gathering  nosegays, 
and  arranging  bouquets,  vases  or  festal  garlands ; — there  is  great  enjoy- 
ment in  watching  the  vegetating  of  the  seeds;  the  developing  of  the 
tiny  leaves,  the  forming  of  the  minute  buds — and  then  comes  at  last — 

"The  bright,  consummate  flower  I" 

Floriculture  has  been  called  the  gem  of  all  cultures.  Its  influence 
makes  us  more  courteous,  if  not  more  intelligent ;  and  what  can  we 
find  in  nature  so  emblematical  of  bloom,  decay,  and  death  ? 

It  has  been  said  that  "  as  domestic  floriculture  and  gardening  has  been 
the  inclination  of  beings,  and  the  choice  of  philosophers,  so  it  has  been 
the  favorite  of  public  and  private  men,  a  pleasure  of  the  greatest,  and 
the  care  of  the  meanest:  and  indeed  an  employment  and  a  possession, 
for  which  no  man  is  too  high  nor  too  low.  Flowers  are  the  relics  of 
Eden's  bowers." 

And  there  is  no  pastime  that  can  give  as  much  pleasure,  with  so 
small  an  expenditure.  Gray,  the  poet,  and  also  a  skillful  naturalist, 
tells  us  that  the  enjoyment  of  life  depends  upon  "having  always  some- 
thing going  forward ; "  and  exclaims :  "  Happy  are  they  who  can  create 
a  rose-tree,  or  erect  a  honeysuckle  !  " 

It  is  indeed  this  very  "having  always  something  going  forward"  that 
produces  the  enjoyment  experienced  by  the  amateur  gardener;    the 
glory  and  fragrance  of  the  flowers  forming  the  crowning  gratification. 
There  is  a  pride — a  most  pleasing  pride — in  culling  a  bouquet  for  a  V 
friend,  from  flowers  raised  by  one's  own  hand. 

The  creation  of  a  beautiful  object  is  certainly  "  a  great  fact,"  of  which 
any  of  us  may  be  justly  and  honestly  proud. 

Few  of  us  possess  the  talent  to  transfer  and  perpetuate  on  canvas,  or  in 
marble,  the  glorious  hues  and  forms  of  nature,  but  the  lowest  and 


10  EVERY  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

humblest  can  raise  flowers  which  Solomon,  in  all  his  glory,  could  not 
have  eclipsed! 

Why  does  not  everybody  have  a  Geranium,  a  Rose,  a  Fuchsia,  or 
some  other  flower  in  a  window,  if  they  do  not  own  land  enough  to 
plant  a  garden  ?  They  are  very  cheap — next  to  nothing,  if  raised  from 
a  cutting,  and  of  small  price  if  purchased  from  the  florist;  and  there  is 
companionship  in  them,  as  well  as  grace  and  beauty. 

Charming  Leigh  Hunt,  whom  I  love  to  quote,  says: 

"  Flowers  sweeten  the  air,  rejoice  the  eye,  link  you  with  nature  and 
innocence,  and  are  something  to  love.  If  they  cannot  love  you  in  re- 
turn, they  cannot  hate  you ;  cannot  utter  hateful  words  even  if  neglected ; 
for,  though  they  are  all  beauty,  they  possess  no  vanity ;  and  living,  as 
they  do,  to  do  you  good,  and  afford  you  pleasure,  how  can  you  neglect 
them !" 

There  are  few  dwellers  in  the  country  who  are  so  destitute  as  not  to 
be  able  to  indulge  in  a  love  for  flowers.  The  garden  may  be  of  the 
smallest  size — a  mere  tiny  circle — and  it  will  often  be  loved  the  more  for 
its  smallness,  and  receive  more  care  and  attention. 

It  will  not  do  to  care  for  it  a  week,  and  then  neglect  it  for  two 
weeks.  It  demands  constant  care,  daily  attendance,  waterings,  and 
weedings. 

Nothing  destroys  its  beauty  like  the  noxious  weeds  that  will  grow  up, 
like  Jonah's  gourd,  if  not  constantly  uprooted.  The  tenacity  of  their 
life  is  wonderful ;  uprooting  will  not  always  kill  them,  and  they  will 
mature  their  seeds,  and  prepare  for  another  struggle  with  you  in  an 
ensuing  summer,  even  when  their  roots  lie  withering  in  the  sun. 
"  What  hidden  virtue  is  in  these  things,  that  it  is  granted  to  sow  them- 
selves with  the  wind,  and  to  grapple  the  earth  with  this  unmitigable 
stubbornness,  and  to  flourish  in  spite  of  obstacles,  and  never  to  suffer 
blight  beneath  any  sun  or  shade,  but  always  to  mock  their  enemies,  with 
the  same  wicked  luxuriance  ?  " 

Thus  enquires  Hawthorne,  while  sturdily  waging  a  warfare  against 
them,  in  the  garden  of  the  "  Old  Manse,"  at  Concord,  Mass.,  and  no  one 
can  "  make  reply."  Animal  manures,  though  very  stimulating  to  vege- 
table life,  are  the  sources  whence  many  of  the  grassy  weeds  spring. 
Artificial  manures  do  not  introduce  so  many  of  these  pests  into  the 
beds  and  borders,  yet  some  of  them  are  so  highly  charged  with  noxious 
exhalations  that  one  dislikes  to  apply  them. 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER   OWN  FLOWER   GARDENER.  11 

Mineral  fertilizers  are  not  open  to  these  objections,  and  I  have  found 
them  preferable  to  others  on  that  account. 

Guano  is  always  beneficial,  if  not  applied  in  too  large  quantities.  An 
iron  spoonful  of  it  dug  into  the  ground  two  or  three  inches  from  the 
stems  of  the  plants  will  increase  their  growth  and  beauty.  A  less  quan- 
tity should  be  given  to  tender  annuals,  and  small  plants. 

Liquid  animal  manures  are  also  easily  applied,  and  give  to  the  plant 
an  immediate  stimulant.  In  pouring  it  on,  avoid  touching  the  leaves  or 
the  stems  of  the  plants,  but  give  the  earth  a  copious  supply  of  a  weak 
solution.  Guano  applied  in  this  manner  is  very  beneficial.  I  have 
used  all  of  these  with  decided  success;  and  always  feed  my  garden 
bountifully;  and  receive  in  return  a  bountiful  supply  of  flowers  and 
vegetables. 

Plant  with  care  and  skill;  water  when  needful;  feed  plenty  of  nour- 
ishment; keep  clear  from  all  weeds;  tie,  stake,  prune  and  cultivate 
daily,  and  you  will  never  regret  the  small  investment  required  to  com- 
mence and  continue  a  garden ;  but  will  become  more  and  more  enamored 
with  the  occupation ;  and  will  yearly  increase  your  stock,  and  multiply 
your  labors,  and  will  be  ready  to  say  with  Thomson,  the  poet  of  nature : 

"  I  care  not,  Fortune,  what  you  me  deny, 
You  cannot  rob  me  of  free  Nature's  grace; 
You  cannot  shut  the  windows  of  the  sky, 
Through  which  Aurora  shows  her  brightening  face; 
You  cannot  bar  my  constant  feet  to  trace 
The  woods  and  lawns  by  living  streams  at  eve : 
Let  health  my  nerves  and  finer  fibres  brace, 
And  I  their  toys  to  the  great  children  leave; 
Of  fancy,  reason,  virtue,  nought  can  me  bereave." 


CHAPTEE  II. 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  BEDS,  BEDS  IN  LAWN,  RIBBON  GARDENING, 

EOCKERIES. 

"  Oh  I  who  can  speak  his  joys,  when  Spring's  young  morn, 
From  wood  and  pasture  open'd  on  his  view; 
When  tender  green  buds  blush  upon  the  thorn, 
And  the  first  primrose  dips  its  leaves  in  dew.*' 

In  preparing  gardens  to  receive  our  flowers,  it  is  better  to  avoid  raised 
beds,  with  deep  walks.  They  suffer  from  the  intense  heat  of  our  sum- 
mers; and  the  rains  wash  them  down,  often  exposing  the  roots  of  the 
plants.  Grass  edgings  are  objectionable,  on  account  of  the  labor 
required  to  keep  the  sods  from  spreading. 

Beds  that  are  artistically  cut  in  the  grass-plat  produce  a  better  effect; 
and  the  brilliant  hues  of  the  flowers  contrast  perfectly  with  the  soft, 
shaven,  emerald  tint  of  the  grass.  One  of  the  most  attractive  features 
about  a  house,  is  a  garden  tastefully  cut  in  the  lawn.  It  is  open  to  but 
one  objection — the  dew  upon  the  grass  makes  it  rather  unapproachable 
in  the  early  morning,  when  its  owner  desires  to  feast  her  eyes  upon  its 
beauties. 

Three  designs  are  given  for  cutting  beds  in  the  grassy  lawn,  and  an 
artistic  eye  will  enable  our  gardeners  to  vary  them  as  they  please.  The 
walks  can  be  well  trodden  down,  and  hardened  with  sifted  coal  ashes  or 
clay.  Gravel  is  not  so  desirable,  as  it  clings  to  the  feet.  The  grass  can 
be  left  between  the  beds,  or  cut  out,  but  if  the  latter  is  done,  they 
can  receive  more  care  in  the  early  hours  of  the  day. 


EVERY  WOMAN  HER   OWN  FLOWER   GARDENER. 


13 


DIAGRAM  No.  1 

In  the  center,  A,  place  a  stocky  plant  of  Scarlet  Salvia;  at  B,  Scarlet  Geraniums:  D,  White 
Perfection  Geranium;  C,  Heliotropes;  E,  Carnations;  G,  Asters;  F,  Zinnias;  H  and  I,  Stocks. 


DIAGRAM  No.  2. 


14 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 


A,  Ricmus,  Sanvitalia  procumbens  round  it;  B,  Scarlet  Verbenas; 
C,  White  Verbenas;  D,  Purple;  E,  Striped,  Pink  and  White ;  F,  Richest 
Crimson ;  G,  Pure  White ;  H,  Brightest  Pink ;  I,  Darkest  Maroon.  The 
outer  beds  can  be  each  of  one  kind  of  plant,  Heliotropes,  Carnations, 
Geraniums,  Pelargoniums,  Asters,  Balsams,  Zinnias,  and  Stocks,  or 
any  flowers  that  suit  the  owner's  taste. 


DIAGRAM  No  3. 

In  the  center  mound,  plant  a  fine  specimen  of  Arundo  donax,  or  one 
of  the  Pampas  Grass.  In  each  of  the  pear-shaped  beds,  put  a  different 
colored  geranium,  the  tallest  species  at  the  stem  end,  and  the  Tom 
Thumb  varieties*  at  the  broadest  edge.  In  the  circles  plant  some  white 
flowers  that  will  retain  their  beauty.  In  the  crescents,  brilliant  scarlet 
flowers;  and  in  the  bordering  of  the  half  moon,  either  try  ribbon 
gardening,  or  fill  up  with  a  mosaic  in  squares  of  scarlet,  white,  purple, 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  15 

orange,  blue,  bright  pink,  crimson,  and  all  the  numberless  shades  that 
flowers  afford.  These  beds  furnish  a  great  scope  for  exercising  one's  taste 
in  arranging  colors;  and  very  brilliant  effects  may  be  produced  without 
a  great  outlay  of  time  or  money. 

The  crescent-shaped  garden  can  be  approached  from  the  main  walk/ 
and  if  the  walks  are  hardened  with  ashes,  it  can  be  easily  tended.  All 
flower  beds  should  be  dug  a  foot  deep ;  well  enriched  with  animal  or 
mineral  manures;  the  lumps  all  finely  pulverized,  and  the  surface  of 
the  beds  raked  as  smoothly  as  possible. 

Portulacca,  Nemophila,  Thrift,  GypsopJiila  and  Dwarf  Asters  make 
very  pretty  edgings. 

Ribbon  Gardening. 

Flowers  may  be  planted  in  ribbon  fashion,  that  is,  by  employing  those 
of  primary  colors,  and  arranging  them  with  the  tallest  for  the  back- 
ground, or  in  the  center.  If  sowed  in  a  circular  bed,  be  sure  to  have  a 
brilliant  scarlet  or  white  flower  in  the  center,  which  should  be  taller 
than  all  the  rest.  A  Scarlet  Geranium  (Gen.  Grant),  for  the  center, 
White  Feverfew  surrounding  that ;  Blue  Larkspur  should  come  next ; 
Yellow  Calceolarias  next;  and  then  the  Dwarf  Asters,  of  a  rich  crimson 
color,  bordering  on  purple,  would  contrast  well.  For  borderings  to  the 
plans  given  in  this  chapter,  the  Hyacinth-flowered  Stocks  would  ribbon 
beautifully.  Plant  a  row  of  the  Scarlet,  then  White,  next  Lilac,  then 
Canary  Colored,  then  Bright  Pink.  They  will  grow  to  the  same  height, 
and  produce  a  fine  effect.  Verbenas  are  also  excellent  for  this  purpose, 
and  can  be  planted  in  concentric  circles  or  in  parallelograms,  with  six 
or  seven  colors,  arranging  them  as  a  rainbow.  A  narrow  semi-circle 
thus  planted  could  be  called  the  rainbow  garden.  Phlox  Drummondii, 
Candytuft,  Lobelias  and  Zonale  Geraniums  can  all  be  employed  in 
ribbon  gardening.  Take  care  to  arrange  the  colors  with  vivid  contrasts 
— orange  and  purple,  white  and  scarlet,  but  do  not  let  blue  and  purple 
mingle.  The  arrangement  of  the  ribboning  must  depend,  of  course, 
upon  the  stock  of  plants  you  possess,  and  after  one  year's  trial  you  will, 
doubtless,  succeed  in  producing  a  fine  effect.  The  only  requisite  rules 
are,  to  arrange  the  plants  according  to  their  height  and  coloring,  always 
planting  the  outer  edges  with  some  dwarf  plant  that  contrasts  strongly. 
The  Alternantheras,  ornamental  foliaged  plants  that  grow  but  four  or 
five  inches  high,  are  unsurpassed  for  edgings.  They  will  receive  due 
attention  in  the  chapter  devoted  to  Variegated  Leaved  Plants. 


16        EVERY  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER. 

For  planting  in  masses  of  coloring,  Truffanto  Asters,  Smith's  Prize 
Balsam,  Dianthus  florepleno,  Linum  coccineum,  Schizantlms  atropur- 
pureus,  Calceolaria  and  Centranthus  macrosiphon  make  a  fine  show. 
Plant  a  small  bed  of  each. 

A  bed  of  miniature  flowers  is  always  charming.  Lobelia  marmorata, 
Leptosiphon  hybridus,  Clintonia  azurea  grandiflora,  Fenzleria  diantM- 
flora  and  GrammantJies  gentianoides  are  all  dwarfs,  and  planted  together 
with  a  bordering  of  Gypsophylla  muralis,  the  effect  is  lovely !  A  bed  of 
Mignonette  is  indispensable,  and  it  will  flourish  in  the  shade,  and  in 
damp  places,  blooming  luxuriantly. 

Rockeries. 

There  are  many  plants  which  thrive  much  better  in  a  sheltered,  rocky 
situation,  and  thence  has  sprung  up  the  fashion  for  constructing  "  Rock- 
eries." Or  it  happens  that  some  large  rocks  crop  out  on  a  portion  of 
ground  which  is  within  view  of  the  house,  and  it  is  desirable  to  orna- 
ment them.  In  the  latter  case,  you  have  only  to  plant  strong  growing 
vines  with  large  foliage,  such  as  the  Wild  Grape  Vine ;  the  Clematis,  or 
Virgin's  Bower,  that  trails  its  white,  starry  blossoms,  and  its  puffy, 
wooly  .seed  pods  all  over  the  forests  of  this  country.  These  two  vines 
will  render  the  offending  rocks  most  picturesque.  Southern  ladies  can 
entwine  among  them  the  lovely  Yellow  Jessamine  of  their  woods,  which 
throws  a  golden  hue  over  all  their  forests.  The  Ampelopsis  (or  Vir- 
ginia Creeper),  or  Five  Fingered  Ivy,  and  the  Aristolochia  (or  Dutch- 
man's Pipe),  are  also  desirable  for  this  purpose ;  also  the  Periplo  cagrceca, 
or  Silk  Vine  of  the  Southern  States. 

One,  or  all  of  these  vines,  will  soon  render  the  obnoxious  rocks  a  joy 
forever !  Artificial  Rockeries  are  usually  constructed  of  stones  of  various 
sizes,  with  the  soil  firmly  embedded  betwixt  them.  They  can  be  made 
very  easily  from  the  clinkers  of  the  coal  furnace.  If  large  pieces  can 
be  obtained,  whitewash  some  of  them  to  increase  their  picturesqueness. 
Boulders,  stones  from  brooks,  or  hill  sides,  can  all  be  used  advanta- 
geously. 

Commence  with  the  largest-sized  stones,  and  build  it  up  in  an  irregu- 
lar, jagged  shape  to  imitate  nature.  A  Rockery  can  be  made  as  a 
receptacle  of  Mineralogical  Specimens,  which  would  increase  its  value. 

If  you  send  to  the  woods  and  brooks  for  the  stones,  bring  the  soil 
thence,  and,  if  not  rich  enough,  add  a  little  compost,  but  native  Ferns 


EVERY  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER.        17 

and  Vines  do  not  require  a  large  supply  of  stimulants.  Plant  the  Ferns 
and  Mosses  on  the  shadiest  side,  and  trail  over  the  stones  small  vines, 
like  the  Lysimachia  numerlaria,  Vinca,  minor  and  major,  Moneywort, 
Lobelias,  varieties  of  the  Sedums,  and  the  various  Annuals  mentioned 
under  that  head,  as  desirable  for  rock  work.  The  varieties  of  the  Saxi- 
fragora,  with  their  broad  leaves,  and  large  clusters  of  Bright  pink  or 
red  flowers,  are  very  efiective  among  the  trailing  vines  and  ferns. 

A  small  Evergreen  tree  will  show  to  advantage  from  some  rocky 
point. 

The  Alpine  Plants  are  also  lovely  for  such  constructions. 

Crocus  bulbs  can  be  planted  among  the  smaller  stones,  and  in  the 
early  Spring  will  make  a  fine  show.  After  they  have  bloomed,  their 
places  can  be  filled  with  Dwarf  Asters  and  Dwarf  Stocks,  Phlox  Drum- 
mondii  and  Pinks. 

Eockeries  can  be  rendered  very  ornamental  additions  to  the  lawn  or 
shrubbery,  but  they  require  a  tasteful  eye  to  construct  them,  and  a 
loving  hand  to  tend  them ;  without  these  they  can  never  be  eye-sweet. 


OHAPTEE  III. 


ANNUALS — THEIR  CULTURE  AND  TREATMENT. 

"  Come,  ye  soft  sylphs, 

Teach  the  flue  seed,  instinct  with  life,  to  shoot 
In  earth's  cold  bosom,  its  descending  root; 
With  pith  elastic,  stretch  its  rising  stem, 
Part  the  twin  lobes,  expand  the  throbbing  gem; 
Clasp  in  your  airy  arms  the  aspiring  plume, 
Fan  with  your  balmy  breath  its  kindling  bloom; 
Each  widening  scale,  and  bursting  film  unfold, 
Swell  the  green  cup,  and  tint  the  flower  with  gold." 

Annuals  are  considered  the  chief  ornaments  of  the  flower  garden 
throughout  the  summer  and  autumn,  and  many  of  them  are  desirable 
for  house  culture. 

They  have  great  claims  upon  our  attention,  and  should  be  more 
extensively  cultivated  in  every  garden.  It  is  impossible  to  plant,  in  a 
private  plat  of  ground,  all  the  kinds  and  varieties  that  are  offered  to  us 
in  the  Seedsmen's  Catalogues,  but  a  judicious  selection  of  the  best  kinds 
will  give  a  charming  assortment  of  brilliant  flowers. 

It  is  almost  superfluous  to  mention  that  annuals  are  plants  which 
spring  from  seed,  and  perfect  their  growth  and  seed,  and  perish  with  the 
autumn ;  though  their  life  may  be  prolonged  by  cutting  off  the  flowers, 
not  allowing  the  seed-pods  to  form,  and  keeping  them  housed  in  the 
winter. 

They  are  divided  into  hardy ;  half-hardy  and  tender ;  and  are  natives 
of  various  lands.  Many  of  them  have  been  greatly  improved,  by  the 
care  and  patience  of  the  florist,  from  their  normal  state,  and  transformed 
into  flowers  of  the  most  gorgeous  hues,  and  the  most  perfect  shape. 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  19 

Asters,  Balsams,  Larkspurs,  Petunias,  Portulaccas*  Stocks  and  Zinnias 
have  all  become  exceedingly  double  and  of  every  brilliant  hue;  while 
many  others  have  had  their  flowers  much  increased  in  size,  and  other- 
wise improved. 

These  flowers  are  more  generally  cultivated  than  any  other  class  of 
flowers,  and  they,  alike,  adorn  the  yard  of  the  cottage,  and  the  parterre 
of  the  palace. 

They  will  grow  almost  anywhere,  and  in  any  kind  of  soil,  but  thrive 
much  better  if  heed  is  paid  to  their  wants,  and  they  are  provided  with 
a  sunny  location,  well  drained,  and  are  well  supplied  with  rich  sandy 
loam ;  though  there  are  some  kinds  which  prefer  a  clayey  soil.  There 
are  only  a  few  which  require  a  very  rich  soil,  yet,  most  of  them  will 
reward  you  with  a  brighter  show  of  flowers  if  well  fed.  It  does  not  pay 
to  starve  plants,  any  more  than  to  starve  animals. 

It  is  very  desirable  to  locate  your  garden  where  it  can  be  in  constant 
view  from  the  windows  of  the  house ;  flowers  are  our  bosom  friends  and 
we  desire  to  have  them  always  in  sight ;  when  weary  they  refresh  one, 
when  happy  they  add  to  one's  happiness,  and  when  sad  and  gloomy  they 
give  to  one  pleasant  thoughts,  smooth  the  care-worn  brow,  and  uplift 
the  heart  to  the  Giver  of  all  good  things. 

To  prepare  the  soil,  let  Mr.  O'Shovelem  dig  up  the  grass-plat,  if  need-  > 
ful,  and  prepare  the  beds  in  front  of  the  piazza,  porch  or  sitting  room, 
if  it  has  a  southeast  direction ;  if  not,  take  the  next  best,  a  southwestern 
location.  Few  plants  will  thrive  well  in  a  northern  exposure,  though 
Pansies  love  the  shade,  and  will  flourish  there.  If  you  can  procure  a 
compost  of  sand  (not  sea  sand),  leaf  mould,  loam  and  manure — a  quar- 
ter of  each — you  will  have  as  good  soil  as  you  can  desire ;  but  if  not 
within  reach,  take  what  offers,  and  if  it  is  heavy  and  stiff,  add  sand  to 
lighten  it ;  if  friable  and  light,  add  ashes,  muck  or  soil  from  old  pas- 
tures, taken  from  under  the  sods.  This  is  always  desirable.  Sand  is 
also  an  essential. 

Laying  out  the  Beds. 

Have  the  garden  well  spaded  over,  and  then  lay  out  the  beds.  If  you 
have  a  geometrical  eye,  you  can  mark  out  circles,  semi-circles,  triangles, 
stars,  diamonds  and  all  sorts  of  curved  beds ;  and  if  you  can  have  all 
the  assistance  you  desire  from  "  men-folks,"  border  their  edges  with  nar-  / 
row  strips  of  turf,  which  must  be  kept  closely  shaven,  and  not  allowed 
to  encroach  upon  the  beds. 


20  EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

If  you  depend  upon  your  own  exertions,  avoid  the  turf;  for  it  exacts 
too  much  hard  muscular  work  for  women  to  encounter. 

A  bordering  is  now  manufactured  of  Terra  Cotta,  which  is  highly 
praised ;  and  it  is  said  to  withstand  the  frost  and  snow  of  the  coldest 
regions.  The  Drain  Pipe  and  Terra  Cotta  works  in  New  York,  make 
several  styles.  Tiles  are  also  introduced  with  good  effect.  Box  edgings 
are  always  tasteful  and  pretty.  If  you  can  possess  none  of  these,  you  can, 
at  least,  border  the  beds  with  Dwarf  Annuals  and  Perennials.  The 
Tom  Thumb  plants  of  every  kind  are  very  pretty  for  this  purpose ;  the 
stone-crop  and,  indeed,  all  the  varieties  of  Sedums,  make  effective 
edgings.  GypsopMla  muralis  is  also  beautiful  for  an  edging,  and  its 
spray-like  flowers  are  indispensable  for  both  vase  and  bouquet.  They 
cover  the  flowers  like  a  mist,  increasing  their  charms  by  partly  veiling 
them. 

Sowiny  the  Seed,  etc. 

The  hardy  varieties,  like  Candytuft,  Phlox  Drummondii,  Sweet 
Alyssum,  Sweet  Peas,  etc.,  can  be  sown  as  soon  as  the  ground  becomes  a  lit- 
tle warm,  and  the  weather  is  in  a  degree  settled.  Indeed,  all  these  kinds, 
and  many  others,  will  bloom  earlier  in  the  summer  if  they  are  planted 
in  the  autumn.  The  frost  and  snow  does  not  disturb  their  rest.  Sweet 
Peas  are  very  essential  for  all  gardens.  Their  fragance  is  grateful  to 
all ;  and  a  bunch  of  the  new  colored  ones,  mingled  with  the  old  favorites, 
equals  the  soft  and  liquid  tints  of  the  sunset  cloud.  But  don't  put 
Scarlet  Geraniums  or  Verbenas  among  them ;  their  vivid  hues  will  pale 
and  dim  the  beauteous  Peas. 

They  bloom  much  more  profusely,  if  planted  four  or  five  inches  in 
depth,  and  are  not  so  apt  to  mildew. 

The  half-hardy  annuals  should  not  be  sown,  excepting  in  the  South, 
before  the  middle  of  May ;  and  the  tender  ones,  not  until  June,  if  one 
desires  good  success  in  their  vegetation  and  growth. 

A  large  amount  of  vexation  might  be  avoided  if  amateur  florists  would 
pay  a  little  heed  to  natural  laws. 

For  both  half-hardy  and  tender  Annuals,  planting  in-doors,  or  under 
glass,  is  very  needful.  If  this  is  done,  they  can  be  brought  forward  so 
as  to  bloom  by  the  last  of  June,  or  the  first  of  July,  and  one  is  fully 
repaid  for  the  extra  trouble  by  their  graceful,  lovely  flowers.  All  these 
varieties  of  Annuals  require  transplanting.  No  Aster,  Petunia,  Stock 
or  Zinnia  will  show  its  beauty  if  not  allowed  plenty  of  room  in  which 


EVERY  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  21 

to  grow  and  bloom.  So,  it  is  as  well  to  transplant  them  from  boxes,  or 
hotbeds,  early  in  the  summer,  when  all  fear  of  frost  is  past,  as  to  do  it 
later  from  the  garden  beds. 

Seeds  of  various  sizes  require  different  depths  of  covering.  The 
smaller  the  seed,  the  less  the  soil  it  needs  to  plant  it,  and  the  finer  the 
soil  should  be. 

Portulaccas,  Petunias,  and  all  tiny  seeds,  should  be  mixed  with  sand, 
and  sprinkled  or  sifted  on  to  the  earth  prepared  for  them,  and  then 
gently  pressed  down  with  the  flat  of  the  trowel  or  the  hoe.  The  general 
rule  for  planting  has  been  to  the  depth  of  three  times  the  diameter  of 
the  seed. 

Too  deep  planting  is  a  fruitful  source  of  the  usual  loss  of  seeds,  so 
much  complained  of  by  amateur  gardeners. 

The  several  essentials  to  successful  germination  of  seeds  of  all  kinds 
are  suitable  soil,  suitable  moisture  and  warmth ;  if  these  are  in  excess, 
or  not  sufficient,  some,  if  not  all,  of  the  seeds  will  fail. 

In  planting  seeds  in  the  open  border,  the  soil  must  be  thoroughly 
pulverized,  no  little  lumps  left  in  it  to  destroy  plant  life. 

Eake  in  the  seeds,  scattering  them  thinly  around;  or,  a  better  way  is 
to  tie  a  string  to  two  small  sticks ;  plant  one  of  them  firmly  in  the  earth, 
and  with  the  other  draw  a  circle  of  the  dimensions  you  may  desire ; 
wind  up  the  string  until  you  have  it  of  the  right  length,  then  plant  the 
seeds  in  the  circle,  and  label  them.  Don't  trust  to  your  memory  for  the 
names,  and  then  say  "  this  pink  flower,  that  red  one,  and  the  other  blue 
or  yellow  one,"  but  learn  their  names,  and  call  them  by  them. 

One  often  rebels  at  the  many-syllabled  word  that  is  applied  to  a  tiny 
mite  of  a  flower ;  yet,  that  same  Latin  word  tells  to  every  botanist  its 
class  and  order,  while  the  common,  familiar,  local  name  is  recognized 
only  by  one  language. 

Miss  Mitford  says:  "One  is  never  thoroughly  sociable  with  ,flowers 
until  they  are  naturalized,  as  it  were,  christened,  provided  with  decent, 
homely,  well-wearing  English  names." 

The  practice  of  giving  Latin  names  to  •  flowers  and  plants  has  been 
styled  pedantic.  It  is  not  so ;  for  it  conveys  an  idea  of  the  flower  to  every 
student  of  Botany  and  Gardening  in  every  nation. 

Leigh  Hunt  thus  writes  upon  the  names  of  flowers : 

"  Pink  is  not  by  itself  a  pretty  name,  but  we  have  associated  it  since 
our  first  dawnings  of  infancy,  with  the  sweetness  of  the  flower,  so  now 


22  EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

the  name  and  flower  are  one,  and  the  poor  monosyllable  becomes  rich  in 
sweetness  and  appropriateness." 

And  again : 

"  Browallia  is  a  pretty  name,  and  was  given  to  a  Peruvian  flower  by 
Linnaeus  in  honor  of  a  friend  of  his  by  the  name  of  Browall ;  yet  the 
name  gives  no  idea  of  the  flower  which  is  remarkably  attractive ; "  and, 
he  suggests  that  Browall 's  Beauty  would  have  immortalized  both  the 
friend  and  the  flower,  and  have  advertised  its  claims  to  the  regard  of  the 
florist. 

A  short  digression  from  seed  planting,  fair  friends,  which  it  is  to  be 
hoped  you  will  pardon  and  overlook. 

When  your  seeds  are  planted,  unless  the  day  is  cloudy  and  showery, 
they  will  require  shading  from  the  heat  of  the  sun. 

I  find  old  newspapers  are  the  best  protection ;  but,  if  the  patches  are 
small,  flower  pots  can  be  inverted  over  them.  The  newspapers  must  be 
laid  over  the  seeds,  after  they  have  been  well  watered,  and  fastened  at 
the  corners  by  small  stones  or  a  handful  of  the  earth.  At  night  they 
should  be  removed  to  let  the  dew  moisten  the  ground,  and  put  back 
before  it  is  dried  up  in  the  morning.  Continue  this  until  the  tiny  leaf- 
lets appear ;  then  remove  them  entirely.  If  the  ground  is  dry  the  seeds 
must  be  thoroughly  wet  every  night.  Moisture  is  very  needful  to  ger- 
minate seeds ;  without  its  aid  they  cannot  sprout.  The  would-be  florists 
often  plant  their  seeds  as  the  Catalogues  direct  and  then  give  no  farther 
heed  to  them.  You  will  often  hear  it  said,  "  I  can't  make  annuals  grow. 
I  planted  fifty  to  sixty  varieties,  and  not  half  a  dozen  of  them  ever 
sprouted.  I  have  no  faith  in  the  seedsmen ;  they  send  out  old  seeds  and 
keep  all  the  new  for  their  own  gardens." 

"  Did  you  water  them  well,  and  shade  them  from  the  noontide  heat  ?  " 
is  asked.  "  Why,  no !  I  never  thought  of  that.  I  planted  them,  and 
supposed  that  was  enough." 

My  fair  friends,  unless  the  clouds  favor  you  and  drop  rain,  or  hide  the 
sun  for  three  or  four  days,  your  seeds  will  become  baked  and  shriveled, 
and  you  cannot  expect  them  to  grow. 

The  thin-skinned  seeds  will  germinate  most  quickly,  while  those  that 
are  shrouded  in  horny  textures,  vegetate  more  slowly.  It  is  always  well 
to  soak  all  such  seeds.  Verbena  seeds  require  twenty-four  hours  soak- 
ing in  warm  water,  and  the  seeds  of  the  lovely,  graceful  Cypress  vine 
will  not  germinate  unless  boiling  water  is  poured  upon  them. 


EVERY  WOMAN  HER   OWN  FLOWER   GARDENER.  23 

Transplanting  Seedlings. 

When  the  tiny  plants  haye  put  forth  the  fourth  or  fifth  leaf,  it  is  time 
to  provide  them  with  permanent  homes.  If  this  is  done  in  the  early 
morning  of  a  warm  day — or  even  later  in  the  forenoon — you  may  be 
sure  that  you  will  lose  your  plants.  But  select  a  showery,  cloudy  day, 
following  a  dry  season,  or  plant  after  night-fall,  and  then  water,  and 
shade  from  the  sun  of  the  next  day,  and  you  will  hardly  lose  one  plant, 
or  even  have  a  leaf  curl. 

Annuals  of  most  kinds  must  have  plenty  of  space  to  grow  in.  There 
are  few  that  are  not  improved  by  transplanting.  Salpiglossis  will  grow 
to  better  advantage  thickly  planted;  also,  Erysimum  Peroffskianum, 
whose  brilliant  orange  flowers  render  it  desirable  to  every  garden. 
Mignonette,  Larkspurs  and  Poppies  will  not  bear  transplanting ;  they 
grow  from  a  tap  root,  and  do  not  easily  attach  themselves  to  a  new  home 
after  their  growth  is  once  started. 

If  Annuals  are  not  planted  anew  after  germinating,  their  growth  is 
weak  and  spindling,  and  they  soon  cease  flowering ;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  they  will  grow  luxuriantly,  and  blossom  until  the  frost  withers 
their  fair  bloom,  if  their  quarters,  are  ample.  Asters  should  be  planted 
a  foot  asunder  each  way ;  and  Stocks,  Balsams,  Zinnias  and  Petunias 
require  as  much  room,  if  not  more,  to  bring  them  to  a  state  of  perfec- 
tion ;  and,  if  mulched  with  fine  manure  early  in  July,  they  will  bloom 
magnificently, 

What  Shaft  We  Plant  f 

This  is  the  query  of  many  women  who  examine  the  Illustrated  Cata- 
logues, and  are  not  familiar  with  the  high-sounding  names,  and,  there- 
fore, totally  at  loss  to  know  what  are  desirable  and  needful  out  of  the 
thousands  of  varieties,  illustrated  and  described  therein. 

I  will  give  a  list  of  those  whose  beauties  are  familiar  to  me,  and  whose 
names  are  household  words : 

Asters,  Truffauts,  Eose  Asters,  Imbrique,  Pompone,  Chrysanthemum 
Flowered,  Bouquet,  in  all  their  varied  colorings  and  shapes.  No  garden 
can  afford  to  be  without  one  or  all  of  these  varieties ;  and  they  take 
chief  rank  in  the  tribe  of  Annuals. 

Amaranthus  melancholicus,  variegated  leaves. 

Anagallis. 

Abrobra,  a  lovely  climber. 

Abronia,  very  effective  for  rock-work. 


24        EVERY  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER. 

Ageratum,  lavender  blue  and  white. 

Acroclinium,  white  and  pink. 

Balsams,  Smith's  Prize  and  Camellia  flowered. 

Bartonia  aurea,  golden  yellow. 

Browallia,  blue  with  white  center,  white. 

Cacalia,  orange  scarlet,  and  yellow. 

Calandrinia,  crimson,  white,  pink  and  lilac. 

Coreopsis  Burridgii,  and  coronata. 

Canary  Bird  Flower,  beautiful  vine. 

Candytuft,  white,  purple  and  crimson. 

Celosia  spicata  rosea,  everlasting  flower. 

Centranthus,  white,  flesh  colored  and  pink. 

Cerastium,  ornamental  foliage,  for  edgings  on  rock-work. 

Chlora  grandiflora,  bright  orange  changing  to  red. 

Chrysanthemum  coronarium,  flore  pleno. 

Clarkia  integripetela,  magenta  crimson,  rich. 

Clianthus  Dampierii. 

Clintonia  azurea  grandiflora,  desirable  for  rock-work  and  baskets. 

Cobasa  scandens,  a  climber  of  rapid  growth. 

Collinsia,  various  colors,  pretty  for  ribbon  borders. 

Convolvulus  aureus  superbus,  a  golden  yellow  variety. 

Convolvulus  mauritanicus,  perfect  for  roses  and  baskets 

Cyanus  (Ladies'  Delight). 

Cypress  Vine,  the  most  graceful  of  climbers. 

Eschscholtzia  Californica,  several  colors. 

Euphorbia  variegata. 

"Fenzlia,  dwarf  growth,  effective  in  rustic  decorations. 

Grilia,  various  colors. 

Godetia,  useful  in  ribbons. 

Grypsophylla  muralis  and  elegans. 

Helliophila  araboides,  bright  blue,  useful  for  edgings. 

Inopsidium  acaule,  sky  blue,  loves  the  shade. 

Ipomoea  hederacea  superba,  a  beautiful  vine. 

Kaulfussia  atroviolacea. 

Larkspur  (Hyacinth  flowered). 

Leptosiphon  hybridus,  dwarf  edgings. 

Linum,  in  several  colors. 

Lobelia,  blue,  white  and  rose  color,  dwar£ 


EVERT  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  25 

Lupins,  of  all  colors. 

Machasranthera  tanaceifolia,  bright  purple,  golden  center. 
Marigolds,  new  varieties  are  very  attractive. 
Mignonette,  Parson's  new  white  and  the  crimson  flowered. 
Nasturtiums,  of  all  varieties. 
Nemesia  compacta  elegans. 

Nemophila,  delicate  flowers,  very  dwarf,  love  the  shade. 
Nigella  Tonlanesiena. 
Oxyura,  golden  yellow,  edged  with  white. 
Sweet  Peas  of  all  colors. 
Perilla  Nankinensis,  dark  rich  foliaged  plant. 
Phlox  Drummondii,  of  every  shade. 
Poppy,  carnation  colored. 
Portulacca,  double  and  single. 
Ricinus,  ornamental  foliaged. 
Salpiglossis,  very  beautiful. 
Salvia  splendens. 

Sanvitalia  procumbens,  suitable  for  edgings  and  rock-work. 
Saponaria  acymoides,  lovely  for  borderings. 
Scabiosa  (or  Mourning  Bride),  flore  pleno. 
Schizanthus,  all  colors. 
Statice  hybrida. 

Stocks,  German  Dwarf,  pyramidal,  new  hybrid. 
Tagetes  pumila,  marigold  of  beautiful  foliage  and  flower. 
Trifolium  (ornamental  clover). 
Tropseolum,  finest  mixed  varieties. 
Viscaria  elegans  picta. 

Vittadina  (Australian  Daisy),  a  good  edging. 
Whitlavia,  blue  and  white. 

Zea  Japonica  (Japanese  Maize),  ornamental  foliage. 
Zinnia  Elegans,  flore  pleno,  all  colors. 
Zinnia  Mexicana  pumila,  very  double  and  brilliant. 
Among  this  list  of  Annuals  several  climbers  have  been  included ;  for 
other  species,  consult  the  chapter  on  Vines  and  Climbers. 

Training  and  Watering  Annuals. 

There  are  few  plants  that  are  not  benefited  by  judicious  training  and 
pruning. 


26        EVERY  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER. 

Balsams  are  greatly  improved  by  pinching  off  the  side  shoots,  and 
allowing  only  the  stalks  to  grow ;  or  the  main  shoot  may  be  left  to 
itself,  and  all  the  strength  of  the  plant  thrown  into  it,  producing  an 
upright  stem  loaded  with  gorgeous  chalices  of  bloom.  Manure  water 
will  increase  the  size  of  the  flowers,  and,  thus  grown,  they  make  splendid 
pot  plants. 

The  scissors  are  useful  about  many  other  plants ;  and  their  side  growth 
should  be  checked,  and  less  latitude  allowed  to  their  branches. 

Zinnias,  Stocks  and  Asters  should  have  the  laterals  trimmed  off; 
their  beauty  is  improved,  if  they  are  kept  within  bounds. 

In  watering  Annuals,  and  all  flowers,  care  should  be  taken  to  apply 
it  after  the  sun  has  set ;  if  water  is  given  in  the  morning,  when  the  sun 
is  hastening  forward  to  drink  up  every  drop,  it  is  of  but  little  use  to 
the  plant ;  and,  if  it  is  given  at  noon-tide,  when  the  sunbeams  fall  fiercely 
hot,  it  scorches  the  plants  as  though  Jack  Frost  had  bitten  them.  The 
cold  drops,  falling  on  the  heated  surface  of  the  soil,  produce  the  same 
effect  as  a  chill. 

Water  slightly  warmed  to  the  hand  is  far  more  efficacious  than  that 
drawn  directly  from  aqueducts  or  cisterns.  If  it  sets  in  the  sun  all  day, 
it  will  be  of  the  right  temperature  to  apply  at  night. 

English  books  on  gardening,  often  denounce  the  practice  of  frequent 
watering ;  but  they  are  no  guides  for  American  gardens.  Their  misty, 
moisty  island,  enveloped  in  clouds,  promotes  moisture  sufficient  for  their 
needs ;  while  our  heated  atmosphere  drinks  up  every  drop  from  the  soil. 
If  it  has  rained  during  the  day  the  watering  pot  can  hang  upon  its  peg ; 
but  if  not,  its  attendance  is  highly  essential  for  the  growth  of  all  tender 
Annuals,  and  delicate  bedding-out  plants. 

Many  ladies  complain  of  their  ill  luck  in  floriculture;  no  plant 
thrives  with  them.  "Why  is  this  ? 

Because  they  neglect  the  floral  darlings.  They  are  assiduous  in  their 
attention  to  them  while  planting  or  transplanting  them ;  but  then  their 
energy  fails ;  they  think  that  the  sun,  rain  and  dew  will  do  the  necessary 
work,  and  they  can  rest  from  their  labors. 

They  never  fail  to  do  their  appointed  work ;  but  you  must  cultivate 
in  season  and  out  of  season  if  you  would  raise — 

"Bright  gems  of  earth  in  which,  perchance,  we  see 
What  Eden  was— what  Paradise  may  be." 


OHAPTEE  IY. 


PERENNIALS  AND  BIENNIALS. 

"  Well  they  reward  the  toil. 
The  sight  is  pleased,  the  scent  regaled  ; 
Each  opening  blossom  freely  breathes  around 
Its  gratitude,  and  thanks  us  with  its  sweets." 

Perennial  plants  are  those  which  live  and  blossom  through  many 
successive  seasons.  If  planted  very  early  in  the  border,  or  brought  for- 
ward in  the  hotbed  or  in  window  gardens,  they  bloom  the  first  season, 
and  many  of  them  are  hardy  enough  to  withstand  the  coldest  winters  of 
northern  New  England,  while  others  require  protection,  and  the  tender 
ones  must  be  housed  in  the  cellar  to  await  the  return  of  spring. 

Perennials  die  down  every  year,  but  the  faithful  old  roots  live,  and 
when  the  sun  awakes  them  from  their  wintry  sleep,  they  spring  up  anew, 
and  delight  our  senses. 

These  plants  are  very  deserving  of  the  attention  of  the  amateur  florist. 
They  ask  but  little  at  one's  hands,  and  will  grow  and  bloom  for  many 
years  under  great  neglect.  Yet  if  their  roots  are  not  divided,  and  their 
food  renewed — after  a  few  years  they  will  dwindle  away,  and  finally 
perish. 

Many  kinds  are  raised  from  seeds.  Others  by  cuttings  or  increase  of 
the  roots ;  and  once  in  three  or  four  years  they  require  to  be  taken  up, 
divided,  and  reset.  They  flourish  best  in  a  light,  rich  soil. 

Dicentra  spectabilis,  an  importation  from  China,  stands  at  the  head 
of  the  list  for  its  beauty,  grace  and  hardy  qualities.  Linnaeus  knew  of 
its  loveliness,  and  named  it  Corydalis  formosa.  Mr.  Fortune  introduced 


28        EVERY  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER. 

it  into  England  less  than  twenty  years  ago,  and  it  has  been  called 
Dilytra,  Diclytra,  and  Dicentra,  which  are  its  proper  names. 

It  seeds  sparingly,  but  a  white  variety  has  been  introduced,  whether 
from  seed  or  from  China,  I  know  not.  It  multiplies  rapidly  by  the 
roots;  the  foliage  resembles  that -of  a  Paeony,  and  its  flowers  are  rose 
colored,  tipped  with  white,  and  hang  from  long  racemes.  As  a  lawn 
plant,  for  early  spring  and  summer  blooming,  it  is  unsurpassed. 

Perennial  Flax  (Linum  perenne),  is  a  native  from  beyond  the  Missis- 
sippi, and  is  beautiful  in  color  and  shape.  Its  flowers  are  celestial  blue, 
and  they  are  very  abundant.  The  plant  continues  in  bloom  all  summer, 
and  is  an  addition  to  every  garden. 

Missouri  Evening  Primrose  ( (EnotJiera  macrocarpa),  also  blooms  all 
summer;  its  flowers  are  a  golden  yellow,  and  the  plant  is  dwarf  in  habit, 
but  the  flowers  do  not  open  until  the  sun's  rays  are  declining. 

Petunias  are  half  hardy  Perennials,  which  usually  rank  with  Annuals 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  United  States.  They  are  desirable  for  the 
smallest  plat  of  ground — as  they  grow  luxuriantly  and  flower  profusely. 
They  take  front  rank  now,  and  their  curious  blotchings  and  veinings 
render  them  very  beautiful.  The  double  varieties  possess  a  spicy  fra- 
grance, and  many  of  them  are  as  beautifully  striped  and  mottled  as  a 
carnation. 

Columbines,  Lychnis,  French  Honeysuckles,  Phlox,  Pinks,  Achillea 
and  Campanula  are  all  very  beautiful,  and  if  raised  from  seeds  will 
increase  rapidly  from  the  roots. 

The  Perennial  Larkspurs  have  received  great  additions  to  their  num- 
bers of  late  years,  and  are  greatly  improved  in  coloring  and  the  size 
of  the  flowers.  The  blue  species  possess  the  most  perfect  tints — vie 
with  the  hues  of  a  cloudless  sky ! 

There  are  no  directions  needful  for  preparing  the  soil,  or  planting  the 
seeds,  as  they  are  given  so  fully  in  the  previous  chapter. 

October  is  the  best  month  for  dividing  and  transplanting  the  roots. 
All  perennial  plants  admit  of  dividing  and  transplanting,  and  it  greatly 
increases  the  size  and  beauty  of  the  flowers,  and  enhances  their  colors. 

The  roots  of  those  kinds  not  found  in  the  seed  catalogues,  can  be 
purchased  at  the  florist's  at  slight  expense,  excepting  the  rarer  kinds 
and  the  novelties. 

Trees  and  Shrubs,  and  nearly  all  the  so-called  bedding-out  plants, 
are  strictly  speaking  perennials •;  yet  the  term  is  more  particularly  applied 


EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  29 

to  those  flowers  whose  steins  and  leaves  annually  decay,  the  roots  retain- 
ing their  vitality.  I  shall  treat  more  fully  of  them  under  the  chapter  on 
Paeonies  and  Herbaceous  plants. 

I  append  a  list  of  the  most  desirable  grown  from  seed : — 

Antirrhinum  (or  Snap-dragon),  all  colors,  hardy. 

Aconitum  napellus  (Monkshood),  blue  and  white,  hardy. 

Agrostemma  hybride  flore  pleno,  hardy. 

Alyssum  saxatile,  golden  yellow,  hardy. 

Aquilegia  (Columbine),  hardy. 

Aralis  alpine,  hardy. 

Armeria  splendens  (Thrift),  half  hardy. 

Astragalus  galegiformis,  yellow,  hardy. 

Aubletia  deltoides,  hardy,  and  beautiful  for  rock  work. 

Bellis  (Double  Daisy),  half  hardy. 

Bryonia  alba — a  trailer,  white  flowers,  hardy. 

Calceolarias,  half  hardy,  very  beautiful. 

Campanula,  white,  blue,  lilac  and  purple. 

Iberis  sempervirens,  Perennial  Candytuft. 

Carnations,  half  hardy,  very  desirable. 

Catananche  bicolor,  hardy,  white,  with  violet  center. 

Chelone  barbata,  hardy  perennial. 

Chrysanthemum  japonicum,  very  rare. 

Commelyne  (Spiderwort),  half  hardy. 

Cowslip,  hardy. 

Datura,  half  hardy. 

Delphinium  (Perennial  Larkspur). 

Dianthus  of  all  kinds,  hardy  and  half  hardy. 

Digitalis,  hardy  perennial. 

Dodecatheon  Meadia,  hardy. 

Forget-me-not,  hardy. 

Fraxinella,  hardy. 

Galega,  lilac,  white. 

Gentiana  macrophylla,  deep  blue. 

Guem  coccineum  (Scarlet  Avens),  hardy. 

Perennial  Lupins,  hardy. 

Everlasting  Pea,  hardy. 

Lavender  spica,  hardy. 

Liatris  squarrosa  (Blazing  Star),  a  prairie  flower. 


30  EVERT  WOMAN  HER   OWN  FLOWER   GARDENER. 

Lobelia  hybridus. 

Lychnis  haageane,  white,  red,  scarlet. 

Mimulus,  half  hardy. 

Pansies. 

Papaver  (Perennial  Poppy). 

Penstemnon,  white,  scarlet,  rose,  blue,  purple. 

Petunia. 

Phlox  decussata. 

Phygelius  capensis. 

Picotee  Pink. 

Paisley  Pink. 

Potentilla,  golden,  crimson,  yellow  and  white. 

Sedum  (Stonecrop). 

Sweet  William,  Hunt's  perfection. 

Tritoma  uvaria,  half  hardy. 

Verbascum,  hardy,  white,  lilac. 

Verbena,  half  hardy. 

Wall  flower,  very  double,  half  hardy. 

Biennials. 

These  are  plants  which,  like  Annuals,  generally  die  after  producing 
their  flowers  and  seeds,  but  are  two  years  in  perfecting  these,  and  in 
some  instances  may  be  induced  to  flower  for  two  or  three  successive 
seasons  by  preventing  them  from  going  to  seed ;  their  general  culture 
is  the  same  as  for  Annuals. 

One  of  the  most  beautiful  is  the  German  Brompton  Stock.  The 
greatest  improvements  have  been  made  in  these  flowers,  and  they  are 
now  very  desirable  plants  for  border  or  lawn.  They  are  half  hardy,  will 
require  protection  during  the  winter  in  northern  climates — but  will 
fully  repay  the  care  they  demand.  Any  particularly  fine  plant  can  be 
propagated  by  cuttings,  yet  they  do  not  always  flower  as  well  as  those 
raised  from  seeds. 

Among  the  Biennials  most  deserving  of  culture  are : — 

Canterbury  Bells,  double  and  single  varieties,  hardy. 

Carduus,  hardy. 

Humea,  elegant,  half  hardy. 

Hollyhocks,  half  hardy. 

Hyoscyamus,  hardy. 


EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  31 

Ipomopsis,  half  hardy,  orange,  scarlet,  rose. 

Silene  ornata,  hardy  biennial. 

Silylum  elurnium  (Ivory  Thistle),  hardy. 

German  Stocks,  new  dwarf  bouquet. 

Stocks,  French  winter,  or  Cocardean. 

Scarlet  Giant  Cape. 

Trachelium  coeruleum,  hardy, 


OHAPTEE  Y. 


GERANIUMS  AND  PELARGONIUMS. 

"  A  brilliant  carpet  of  unnumbered  dyes, 
With  sweet  yariety  enchants  the  eyes." 

These  well-known  flowers  have  adorned  the  gardens,  and  been  florists' 
favorites  for  many  years.  Their  pleasing  foliage,  and  brilliant  bloom, 
well  merit  the  estimation  in  which  they  are  held.  Leigh  Hunt,  the 
genial  Essayist,  says : — "  Everything  about  the  geranium  is  handsome, 
not  excepting  its  name,  which  cannot  be  said  of  all  flowers,  though  we 
get  to  love  ugly  words  when  associated  with  pleasing  ideas.  The  word 
Geranium  is  soft  and  elegant ;  the  meaning  is  poor,  for  it  comes  from  a 
Greek  word  signifying  a  Crane,  the  fruit,  or  seed  pod,  resembling  the 
form  of  a  crane's  bill.  But  what  a  reason  for  naming  the  flower !  as  if 
the  fruit  were  anything  in  comparison,  or  any  one  cared  about  it.  It 
would  be  far  better  to  invent  joyous  and  beautiful  names  for  these 
images  of  joy  and  beauty." 

Linnaeus  named  the  Geranium  from  Geranos,  a  crane,  for  the  reason 
that  Mr.  Hunt  gives.  The  plant  is  often  confounded  with  the  Pelar- 
gonium, which  differs  from  it  in  size,  shape  and  coloring  of  its  flowers, 
and  it  is  strictly  exotic.  It  was  named  from  Pelargos,  a  stork,  on  account 
of  the  resemblance  of  its  capsules  to  the  bill  and  head  of  that  bird. 
They  are  placed  in  the  same  class  of  the  Linnaean  system  as  the 
Geranium  (Monadelphia),  but  in  the  fourth  order  (Heptandria),  while 
the  other  is  in  the  sixth  order  (Decandria). 

There  has  been  a  good  deal  of  confusion  with  regard  to  the  names  of 
the  two  plants,  and  their  numerous  varieties,  but  the  derivation  of  their 
titles  settles  the  vexed  question. 


EVERT  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER.        33 

The  careful  and  patient  hybridization  of  the  French,  English  and 
American  florists  have  brought  these  flowers  to  a  high  standard  of 
perfection. 

The  Double  Geraniums. 

Lemoine,  the  chief  of  the  Geranium  culturists,  introduced  the  new 
double  varieties,  which  have  become  a  decided  acquisition.  They  do 
not  drop  their  leaves,  like  the  single  varieties,  and  their  clusters  of 
flowers  are  of  an  immense  size.  They  are  of  all  shades  of  scarlet  and 
bright  rosy  pink ;  some  have  produced  heads  bearing  from  sixty  to  eighty 
perfect  flowerets.  They  outrank  all  other  kinds  of  Geraniums,  and 
yearly  their  number  increases.  They  flourish  better  if  partially  shaded 
from  the  intense  heat  of  the  noonday  sun,  and  will  bloom  until  the 
frost  comes,  in  the  greatest  perfection. 

No  white  variety  has  yet  been  introduced,  but  M.  Lemoine  will  succeed 
in  procuring  one,  if  skill  and  patience  can  produce  it. 

Gloire  de  Nancy  is  a  brilliant  scarlet,  much  admired. 

Marie  Lemoine  is  a  dwarf  variety,  of  a  bright  rosy-pink  hue,  very 
elegant. 

Emile  Lemoine  is  of  a  cherry-carmine. 

Gloire  de  Doubles  is  a  novelty  for  1871 ;  of  the  richest  cerise  tint, 
with  a  distinct  white  center ;  far  superior  to  the  other  varieties. 

Crown  Prince  is  of  a  dwarf  habit,  and  of  the  brightest  rose  color. 

The  Zonale  Geraniums. 

But  the  double  varieties  are  not  the  only  ones  which  should  claim  our 
attention.  Some  of  the  new  Zonale  species  are  admirable  in  coloring, 
and  of  very  free  growth ;  their  trusses  of  flowers  are  five  to  six  inches 
in  diameter;  and  they  are  found  in  all  shades,  from  the  most  dazzling 
crimson  and  the  brightest  rose  to  the  purest  white. 

The  most  desirable  are : — 

King  of  the  Eoses,  a  most  brilliant  scarlet,  shaded  to  magenta. 

Geant  de  Battailles,  a  dark,  rich  crimson. 

Mrs.  Keeler,  of  a  rosy,  peach-blossom  hue. 

Among  the  older  varieties,  and  less  costly,  are : — 

Christine,  a  lovely  rosy-pink. 

Gen.  Grant,  a  dazzling  scarlet,  and  decidedly  the  most  profuse  blower 
of  the  red  varieties. 

Incomparable  has  striped  flowers,  white  on  a  clear  salmon  ground. 
3 


34  EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

Maid  of  Kent,  richest  shade  of  pink. 
Madame  Werle,  white,  with  a  pink  center. 
Reine  des  Vierges,  purest  white. 

Warrior,  large  clusters  of  the  most  intense  scarlet;  very  superior. 
Blue  Bells,  a  rich  shade  of  magenta  pink,  each  blossom  of  immense 
size. 

Coleshill,  enormous  scarlet  truss,  and  blows  freely. 

Liliputian  Zonales,  or  Tom  Thumb  Geraniums. 

These  comprise  a  dwarf  section  of  this  species,  and  grow  from  six  to 
ten  or  twelve  inches  high ;  are  very  stocky,  and  their  flowers  equal  in 
size  and  beauty  of  coloring  those  of  larger  growth.  They  are  a  very 
attractive  plant,  and  make  pretty  borderings  for  beds  or  mounds  of  the 
taller  kinds. 

Baby  Boy,  scarlet,  with  white  eye. 

Little  Dear,  a  delicate  rose,  spotted  with  white. 

Little  Gem,  brilliant  vermillion,  with  white  center. 

Christabel,  very  dwarf,  rosy  pink. 

Cupid,  a  salmon  color,  with  white  eye. 

Pretty  Jemima,  dazzling  scarlet,  white  center. 

Golden  and  Silver  Tri- Color  Geraniums. 

These  varieties  are  noticed  under  the  head  "  Ornamental "  Foliaged 
Plants;  and  the  Ivy- Leaved  Geraniums  are  embraced  under  the  same 
heading. 

The  Sweet  Scented  Geraniums. 

These  plants  are  indispensable  for  bouquets  and  vases,  their  fragrance 
being  agreeable  to  all  lovers  of  flowers. 

Formerly,  the  Rose  and  the  Oak-Leaved  were  the  only  kinds  commonly 
cultivated,  but  now  there  are  a  dozen  varieties  from  which  to  make  a 
selection,  and  all  of  them  are  desirable  and  beautiful,  indeed,  are  quite 
essential,  for  there  are  few  plants  which  afford  such  graceful  back- 
grounds for  borders  or  bouquets. 

Denticulatum  is -a  rose-scented  variety,  with  finely  cut  foliage. 

Lady  Plymouth  is  also  rose-scented,  and  its  leaves  are  prettily  mar- 
gined with  white. 

Shrubland  Pet  is  of  dwarf  growth,  and  very  sweet  scented. 


EVERY  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER.        35 

Odoratissimum  possesses  a  spicy  apple  perfume. 

Graveolens  is  of  a  pleasant  scent,  with  bright  flowers. 

All  these  plants  will  grow  luxuriantly  with  but  little  care.  Any  one 
can  raise  Geraniums.  They  delight  in  a  good,  rich  loam,  with  a  mulch 
of  manure;  have  a  special  fancy  for  "barn -yard  coffee,"  or  liquid 
manure.  If  watered  with  it,  twice  a  week  during  the  summer,  will  bloom 
profusely.  If  your  plants  are  old,  prune  them  closely,  cutting  the 
branches  well  in,  and  they  will  reward  you  for  the  sacrifice.  If  they  are 
taken  from  pots,  you  should  also  prune  the  roots,  cutting  away  all  the 
largest  roots  to  within  five  or  six  inches  of  the  main  stalk.  After  this 
vigorous  pruning,  the  plants  should  not  be  exposed  to  the  heat  of  the 
day,  but  must  be  shaded  for  a  day  or  two,  until  they  recover  from  their 
loss;  but  thus  treated  they  will  speedily  put  forth  new  roots,  leaves  and 
buds. 

If  the  bed  is  shaded  a  little  during  the  hottest  part  of  the  day,  they 
will  bloom  the  better. 

To  produce  the  largest  clusters  of  flowers,  the  stalk  above  the  buds 
should  be  pinched  off,  thus  throwing  all  the  strength  of  the  plant  into 
the  formation  of  flowers. 

A  rich,  light  loam  will  grow  Geraniums  to  perfection,  and  the  soil 
fresh  from  the  woods  and  pastures,  if  enriched  with  well-rotted  cow 
manure,  is  the  best  that  can  be  obtained.  Plants  delight  in  a  virgin 
soil,  and  those  who  live  in  the  country  can  provide  themselves  with  it 
by  lifting  the  sods  from  cow  or  sheep  pastures,  and  taking  the  earth 
from  under  them. 

If  cuttings  are  desired  from  the  Geraniums,  they  should  be  taken  in 
July,  from  the  healthiest  plants,  and  planted  in  small  pots  filled  with  a 
compost  of  loam  and  sand,  having  one  or  two  inches  of  the  former  on 
top  of  the  pot.  Insert  the  cutting  firmly,  and  keep  the  sand  sopping 
wet  until  it  has  rooted.  When  one  or  two  leaves  are  developed,  trans- 
plant it  into  a  larger  pot,  with  a  compost  of  one-third  rotted  cow  manure, 
one-third  black  loam,  and  one-third  sand,  and  by  November  you  will 
have  vigorous  plants  for  house  culture.  The  large  roots  can  be  lifted 
from  the  ground  before  the  frost  blights  their  leaves,  and  after  cutting 
away  all  the  tender  shoots  and  buds,  and  shaking  the  earth  from  their 
roots,  hang  them  up  in  a  dark,  cool,  dry,  but  frost-proof  cellar,  heads 
downward.  In  the  Spring  they  can  be  brought  to  the  light,  the 
branches  cut  in,  and  though  they  will  look  shabby  enough,  yet,  if 


36  EVERY  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

planted  in  boxes  in  a  warm  kitchen,  they  will  put  forth  leaves  and  vege- 
tate  rapidly,  and  can  then  be  transplanted  into  the  borders.  The  tender 
branches  and  buds  should  be  cut  off,  else  they  will  continue  for  awhile 
to  grow  in  the  cellar,  and  thus  lose  their  lives. 

Cuttings  can  be  started  in  the  open  borders,  but  they  are  not  as  sure 
to  live.  It  is  no  more  trouble  to  grow  a  Geranium  than  a  cabbage, 
yet  one  is  far  more  desirable  than  the  other,  unless  hunger  is  at  the 
door. 

Geraniums  are  never  attacked  by  the  aphis,  or  red  spider,  and  this  is 
a  great  attribute ;  one  is  not  forced  to  fight  for  their  lives. 

The  Pelargonium. 

The  flowers  of  this  plant  are  much  sought  after  on  account  of  their 
perfect  coloring  and  blotches.  There  are  all  shades  of  scarlet,  crimson, 
pink,  purple  and  white ;  the  lower  leaves,  and  frequently  the  upper,  are 
veined  and  blotched  with  the  darkest  crimson,  purple  and  red,  beautifully 
veined  with  the  lighter  shades.  The  leaves  of  the  plant  are  more 
pleasantly  perfumed  than  those  of  the  Geranium,  and  have  no  zonale, 
or  horse-shoe  markings,  but  are  of  a  rich,  vivid  green.  No  description 
can  convey  any  idea  of  the  beauty  of  the  flowers.  They  bloom  in  border 
or  bed  all  the  summer,  and  are  to  be  had  in  hundreds  of  varieties.  They 
are  propagated  both  from  cuttings  and  seeds,  and  the  "  novelties"  are 
produced  by  careful  hybridization.  They  require  a  light,  sandy  loam, 
well  enriched  with  cow  manure,  and  if  they  are  not  plentifully  supplied 
with  water,  their  buds  will  wither  away.  They  need  more  sunlight 
than  the  Geranium  to  bloom  in  perfection.  Some  of  them  are  tall  in 
growth,  and  produce  a  good  effect  planted  singly  on  the  lawn.  They 
are  the  most  showy-flowered  of  all  the  bedding-out  plants,  excepting  the 
Scarlet  Salvia,  and  their  varied  tints  and  exquisite  colors  make  them 
very  desirable  in  the  smallest  garden. 

Their  habit  is  not  always  compact,  but  they  can  be  cut  and  trimmed 
to  a  fine  shape,  and  the  older  plants  require  such  treatment  to  bloom 
well,  the  second  year. 

Among  the  many  varieties  offered  for  our  selection,  the  most  desirable 
ones  are: — 

Gen.  Taylor,  of  a  rich  crimson,  blotched  with  the  darkest  tint  of  red. 

Niagara,  white,  striped  and  blotched  with  crimson. 

Competitor,  black,  edged  with  rose. 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENE5.  3? 

Emperor  of  Pelargonium,  very  large  flower  of  snowy  whiteness, 
spotted  with  violet,  tinged  with  rose ;  petals  finely  fringed. 

Eligible,  a  pink  crimson,  with  white  edges,  and  violet  blotches  and 
veins. 

Dr.  Andre,  pink  and  white,  petals  fringed. 

Cloth  of  Silver,  petals  of  silvery  whiteness,  blotched  with  delicate 
rose. 

Crimson  King,  a  rich  crimson,  beautifully  veined  and  blotched. 

Princess  Hortense,  orange-salmon,  edged  with  pink. 

Eclipse,  clear  white  petals,  marked  with  maroon. 

Belle  of  Paris,  rich  violet  crimson,  upper  petals  spotted;  an  immense 
cluster  of  flowers. 


OHAPTEE  VL 


BEDDING-OUT  PLANTS,  PANSIES,  VEEBENAS,  HELIOTEOPES, 
FEVEEFEWS,  ETC. 

"  Your  voiceless  lips,  O  flowers,  are  living  preachers! 

Each  cup  a  pulpit,  every  leaf  a  book! 
Supplying  to  my  fancy  numerous  teachers 
From  loneliest  nook.'' 

The  varieties  of  plants  called  by  florists  bedding-out  plants,  are  very 
popular — and  deservedly  so.  Their  flowers  present  a  brilliant  mess  of 
coloring  all  the  summer,  and  their  hues  are  richer  than  those  of  most 
other  flowers. 

Pansies  are  great  favorites — they  will  grow  in  shady  nooks  where  no 
other  flower  can  bloom — and  their  flowers  continue  from  the  earliest 
spring  until  the  latest  autumn.  Various  and  familiar  are  the  names  by 
which  the  Pansy  has  been  known  for  centuries. 

Gerard,  who  wrote  a  long  description  of  it,  says  it  was  known 
as  Love-in-idleness,  Jump-up-and-kiss-me,  Three-faces-under-a-hood, 
Heart's-ease,  and  Pansy.  The  Italians  named  it  Nola  farfalla  (Violet 
Butterfly). 

Lady  Mary  Bennet  of  England,  afterwards  Lady  Monck,  first  intro- 
duced the  Pansy  to  the  attention  of  the  florists.  Early  in  the  present 
century,  she  planted  all  the  varieties  of  the  Heart's-ease  which  she  could 
procure,  and  with  the  skillful  aid  of  her  gardener,  new  varieties  were 
produced  from  seed. 

About  1813,  the  well-known  florist,  Mr.  Lee,  of  Vineyard  Nursery,  at 
Hammersmith,  saw  Lady  Mary's  collection,  and  immediately  perceived 
the  profit  that  would  accrue  from  the  cultivation  of  this  flower.  His 


EVERT    WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  39 

skill  and  patience  were  rewarded  by  the  production  of  still  more  beauti- 
ful varieties.  Other  nurserymen  followed  his  example,  and  in  a  few 
years  the  unpretending  Heart's-ease  took  its  place  as  a  florist's  flower  of 
no  small  pretensions.  The  French  name  Pensees  was  the  origin  of  the 
English  word  Pansy. 

Milton  alludes  to  it  as  the  "pansy  freak'd  with  jet"  amongst  those 
"  vernal  flowers,"  whose  "  quaint  enamel'd  eyes  a  sad  embroidery  wear." 
Another  writer  says : — 

"Are  not  Pansies  emblems  meet  for  thought  ? 
The  pure,  the  chequered— gay  aud  deep  by  turns  ; 
A  line  for  every  mood  the  bright  things  wear, 
In  their  soft,  velvety  coats." 

One  must  not  suppose  that  rich  soil  or  careful  culture  have  wrought 
such  wonderful  changes  in  the  Pansey.  This  is  only  the  first  step  in 
the  march  of  improvement. 

The  seeds  of  the  finest  flowers  were  carefully  preserved,  and  the  finest 
of  the  young  seedlings  were  selected  for  seed.  Hybrids  were  also  ob- 
tained by  fertilizing  the  stigma  of  one  rarely  colored  flower,  with  the 
pollen  of  another  of  a  larger  variety.  These  hybrids  generally  possess 
in  a  great  degree  the  peculiar  qualities  of  each  parent,  and  retain  their 
peculiar  markings. 

Innumerable  are  the  varieties  now  cultivated ;  there  are  upwards  of  a 
thousand  named  kinds  catalogued  by  the  English  nurserymen. 

Mrs.  London  says  in  her  book  upon  "  Floriculture,"  that  "  the  varieties 
of  forms  and  colors  which  appear  in  the  plants  raised  from  seed  are  so 
great  that  few  floricultural  pursuits  can  be  more  interesting  than  to  sow 
a  bed  of  Pansies,  and  watch  when  they  flower  for  the  varieties  most 
desirable  to  perpetuate." 

By  judicious  management,  a  successive  bloom  can  be  retained  for 
eight  months  in  the  year,  and  even  a  slight  attention  to  their  needs  is 
rewarded  by  a  profusion  of  beautiful  flowers.  There  is  no  bedding-out 
plant  which  gives  a  more  liberal  supply  of  flowers — from  the  earliest 
spring  to  the  latest  autumn. 

Plants  from  seed  blossom  finely  the  first  year,  and  give  much  larger 
flowers  when  the  plant  is  small,  for  as  it  increases  in  size,  the  blooms 
though  abundant  are  smaller  and  inferior  in  coloring. 

A  constant  succession  of  flowering  plants  should  be  brought  forward 
during  the  spring  and  summer  months,  and  the  plants  kept  young  and 


40  EVERT  WOMAN  HER   OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

vigorous.  This  is  often  done  by  cuttings  as  well  as  seedlings.  They 
can  he  grown  more  rapidly,  and  are  certain  to  produce  fine  flowers. 

The  cuttings  should  be  taken  from  the  points  of  the  shoots,  and  cut 
about  three  inches  long,  and  immediately  below  a  joint.  Strip  oif  the 
lower  leaves,  and  plant  them  in  sand,  pressing  the  soil  closely  around 
the  stem.  If  planted  on  the  north  side  of  a  fence  or  hedge  in  a  sheltered 
location,  with  an  inch  of  sand  covering  the  cuttings,  they  will  strike 
rapidly.  If  in  pots,  they  should  be  covered  with  glass.  In  about  six 
weeks  they  will  be  well  rooted,  and  fit  to  transplant  into  the  flowering 
beds,  or  into  pots  for  window  gardening. 

Pansies  are  often  layered,  by  pegging  down  the  young  shoots  with  a 
hair  pin,  and  covering  all  but  an  inch  or  two  of  the  point  with  fine 
sand. 

An  incision  can  be  made  at  the  joint,  as  is  done  in  layering  roses, 
but  frequently  they  will  make  root  equally  as  well  without  using  the 
knife. 

When  rooted,  which  can  be  told  by  the  growth  of  new  leaves — separate 
from  the  old  plant,  and  either  plant  out  in  borders  or  in  pots. 

They  can  also  be  increased  by  dividing  the  old  roots,  and  the  divisions 
will  soon  make  fine  plants. 

Seed  can  be  sown  early  in  the  season,  in  a  hot-bed — following  directions 
given  for  planting  seed,  in  Chapter  II,  and  when  the  fourth  or  fifth  leaves 
are  formed,  the  plants  can  be  put  into  the  borders,  and  planted  a  foot 
apart  each  way  to  allow  them  room  to  grow. 

Pansies  are  very  gross  feeders,  delighting  in  the  richest  soil,  with 
plenty  of  liquid  manure.  If  large  blossoms  are  desired,  the  soil  must 
be  of  the  richest  description. 

The  best  compost  for  them  is  one-third  leaf  mould,  one-third  thoroughly 
decayed  barn-yard  manure,  and  one-third  light  loam.  In  this  soil  they 
will  blossom  most  gorgeously.  The  location  should  be  on  the  north- 
west side  of  the  house,  and  shaded  from  the  noonday  sun.  They  will 
not  grow  to  advantage  in  either  light,  sandy  soil,  or  much  sunlight,  but 
require  moisture  and  shade,  and  copious  waterings  to  produce  perfect 
flowers.  They  are  also  great  deteriorators  of  the  soil,  and  will  soon  run 
out  unless  it  is  renewed.  New  beds  do  much  better  than  old  ones. 
After  they  have  blossomed  freely  until  July,  cut  down  the  branches  several 
inches,  mulch  with  well-rotted  cow  manure,  and  by  September  they  will 
be  in  a  blaze  of  glory. 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER   GARDENER.  41 

If  the  amateur  florist  desires  to  sow  the  seed  from  some  especially  rare 
flowers,  they  should  be  carefully  tied  up,  and  no  other  flower  be  allowed 
to  go  to  seed  on  the  same  plant. 

The  seed  may  be  sown  in  spring,  summer  or  autumn ;  in  the  two 
former  seasons  it  can  be  planted  in  the  open  ground ;  in  the  latter  in 
pots,  so  that  the  tender  seedlings  can  be  protected  from  the  damp. 
Pansies  are  hardy  perennials,  but  will  wither  away  if  water  settles  on  the 
bed.  They  do  not  like  either  the  wintry  ice,  or  the  excessive  heat  of 
summer. 

Violets,  Sweet  Violets. 

These  flowers  cannot  compare  with  their  beauteous  sisters — the  Pansies 
—in  size  or  colorings ;  they  cannot  boast  such  varied  blotchings  and 
veinings,  but  they  possess  a  higher  attribute  in  their  rarely  delicious 
odor — their  perfume  is  unsurpassed  by  that  of  any  other  flower.  They 
are  always  in  demand,  and  are  very  easily  raised.  With  slight  protection 
they  will  live  in  the  coldest  climate,  and  before  the  Snow-drop  hangs 
its  pearly  bell,  they  will  be  in  full  bloom. 

The  Viola  odorissima  is  the  English  variety  most  extensively  culti- 
vated. Several  new  varieties  have  been  introduced ;  among  them  the 
double  blue  Neapolitan  is  the  most  popular.  The  King  of  Violets  has 
a  very  large  flower,  and  is  much  cultivated  for  window  gardens.  The 
Czar  is  a  fine  variety;  and  the  Schoenbrun  is  a  single  variety,  very  sweet. 
There  are  white  varieties,  that  are  also  much  used  by  florists,  but  the 
blues  are  the  greatest  favorites. 

The  Violet  is  the  emblematic  flower  of  the  Bonapartes,  as  the  Lily  is 
of  the  Bourbons.  Dame  Eumor  tells  us  that  Eugenie  expressed  her 
willingness  to  accept  the  offer  of  becoming  Louis  Napoleon's  wife  by 
dressing  in  an  exquisite  violet  toilet — violets  in  her  hair,  about  her  dress, 
and  a  bouquet  of  them  in  her  hand,  which  were  perfectly  significant  to 
the  wooer.  The  great  Napoleon  selected  it  as  his  flower,  through 
Josephine's  requesting  it  as  a  birthday  gift. 

He  cultivated  them  in  large  quantities  in  his  garden  at  St.  Helena, 
and  they  were  planted  over  the  grave  of  Josephine ,  and  when  he  was 
buried,  his  coffin  was  covered  with  the  flowers  he  loved  so  well. 

Louis  Napoleon  is  said  to  have  made  himself  acquainted  with  those 
who  were  friendly  to  his  interests,  while  carefully  feeling  his  way  to  the 
throne,  by  a  cautious  display  of  violets.  Sweet  violets ! 


42  EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

The  Heliotrope. 

Heliotropes  fill  an  important  place  among  "bedding-out"  plants, 
giving  us  a  plentiful  supply  of  flowers  from  June  to  October.  They  are 
desirable  for  their  fragrance,  as  well  as  for  their  profusion  of  flowers. 
They  were  introduced  into  England  from  Peru  in  1757,  and  the  cottagers 
called  it  "  Cherry  Pie,"  from  a  fancied  resemblance  in  its  fragrance  to 
the  odor  of  that  esteemed  dish.  It  has  also  been  called  the  "  Vanilla 
Plant."  The  flower  first  introduced  was  of  a  light  lavender  shade,  and 
for  many  years  no  change  of  color  was  effected,  but  now  it  is  offered 
from  the  darkest  purple  to  the  faintest  shade  of  lavender. 

They  make  very  fine  standards,  trained  from  a  single  stem,  from  one 
to  four  feet  high,  with  a  head  of  several  feet  in  diameter. 

The  older  the  plant,  the  more  profuse  are  its  clusters  of  fragrant 
flowers.  A  cutting  in  the  first  year  will  grow  very  rank,  but  if  cut  back 
and  pruned  into  one  stem,  it  becomes  woody,  and  will  make  a  fine 
shrub.  In  California,  they  bloom  as  plentifully  at  Christmas  as  at 
Fourth  of  July,  and  it  is  not  uncommon  to  see  large  trellises  and  walls 
covered  with  its  branches  and  exquisite  flowers — perfect  bouquets  of 
beauty,  being  always  covered  with  flowers.  The  main  stems  of  the  plant 
are  trained  to  the  wall,  and  the  branches  droop  gracefully.  Any  kind  of 
turfy  loam  will  grow  it  perfectly.  It  is  propagated  from  cuttings  with 
great  ease. 

Of  the  very  dark  varieties,  Etoile  de  Marseilles  ranks  first ;  flowers  of 
a  deep  violet  with  white  center. 

Due  de  Lavendry  is  of  a  rich  blush,  with  a  dark  eye. 

Incomparable  is  of  a  lovely  bluish-lilac. 

Garibaldi  is  nearly  white. 

Leopold  1st,  of  a  deep  violet  blue. 

Madame  Facilon,  a  clear  violet  tint. 

Malulatie  is  of  the  most  delicate  lilac. 

Verbenas* 

Among  all  the  variety  of  "  bedding-out "  plants,  which  contribute  to 
the  gay  and  lively  appearance  of  a  garden,  the  Verbena  is  the  most 
generally  cultivated,  and  claims  the  first  rank  among  brilliant  flowers. 
Some  of  its  varieties  are  sweet  scented,  but  most  of  them  depend  for 
their  merit  upon  their  showy,  gorgeous  coloring,  and  their  wonderful 
profusion  of  blossoms,  which  render  them  of  the  greatest  value.  There 


EVERT  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER.        43 

have  been  some  splendid,  new  varieties  introduced  in  the  few  past  years, 
whose  wondrous  stripes  and  eyes  are  not  approached  by  any  of  the  older 
sorts.  They  are  selected  from  many  thousand  seedlings,  and  are  both 
rich  and  rare. 

But  any  one  can  raise  new  varieties  from  seed,  and  good  culture  will 
produce  magnificent  blooms.  Seedlings  will  seed  much  more  plentifully 
than  flowers  from  cuttings,  and  the  older  the  cutting  the  less  seed  it 
will  give. 

Verbenas  do  not  sprout  readily  from  seed;  they  are  encased  in  a 
horny  substance,  and  should  be  soaked  in  warm  water  for  twenty-four 
hours,  and  then  planted  in  a  light  sandy  loam,  with  a  good  bottom  heat. 
Thus  treated  they  will  germinate,  and  when  the  fourth  leaf  is  formed, 
should  be  potted  into  thumb  pots  in  sandy  loam. 

Verbenas  are  natives  of  Brazil,  and  love  the  hot  sun  and  sand.  If 
the  bed  in  which  they  are  planted  is  covered  two  or  three  inches  deep 
with  common  sand,  they  will  bloom  most  perfectly. 

I  once  raised  seventy  verbenas  from  seed,  and  planted  them  in  a  very 
sandy  soil.  Such  growth  I  never  witnessed — they  were  magnificent ! 
As  the  plant  sends  out  its  first  shoots,  they  should  be  pegged  down  with 
hair-pins,  and  thus  coaxed  to  grow.  When  watered  they  desire  a  copious 
supply,  and  the  suds  from  washing-day  are  very  beneficial  to  them. 
Guano  is  also  a  good  manure  for  them;  dig  an  iron  spoonful  around 
each  plant,  not  touching  the  stems.  The  green  lice,  or  aphis,  are  their 
plague  in  pot  culture,  but  they  are  destroyed  by  smoking  them  with 
tobacco.  Put  the  plants  together,  and  throw  some  tobacco  on  hot  coals 
in  a  pot  saucer;  cover  the  whole  with  a  wash  tub,  and  let  them  smoke 
for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  and  the  lice  can  be  swept  up  and  burned. 
Place  the  coals  as  far  as  possible  from  the  plants,  under  the  tubs,  so 
as  not  to  injure  them  with  their  heat. 

If  plants  are  well  showered,  no  lice  will  appear — they  do  not  love 
moisture. 

If  cuttings  are  desired  for  winter  bloom,  they  should  be  taken  off  in 
August,  so  as  to  become  well  rooted.  It  never  pays  to  take  up  old  plants 
for  winter  blooming. 

Among  the  new  Verbenas  for  1871,  are: — 

Annie,  white,  crimson  striped. 

Black  Bedder,  richest  maroon. 

Conspicua,  ruby-scarlet,  white  eye. 


4:4  EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

Cupid,  very  large,  white,  tinted  with.  pink. 

Distinction,  solferino,  dark  eye. 

Gazelle,  deep  blue,  clear  white  eye. 

lona,  large  scarlet,  yellow  eye. 

Muriel,  ruby-pink,  white  eye- 

Punctata,  spotted  and  striped  with  carmine. 

Rising  Sun,  crimson,  white  eye. 

Sensation,  waxy  white,  carmine  eye. 

Snow  Storm,  pure  white,  large  and  fine. 

Spot,  carmine,  white  eye. 

Tricolor,  carmine,  crimson  and  orange. 

Unique,  white,  carmine  spot. 

All  these  varieties  originated  with  Peter  Henderson,  the  Prince 
of  American  Floriculture,  and  are  sure  to  be  true  to  description.  Any 
one  can  raise  a  Verbena,  and  no  garden  can  be  complete  without  some 
of  the  hundreds  of  varieties  offered  by  all  florists. 

Salvias. 

These  plants  are  the  most  gorgeous  of  all  the  fall-flowering  plants ; 
they  grow  from  four  to  five  feet  high ;  and  the  small  plant,  you  purchase 
in  the  spring  of  the  florist,  will  become  by  September  a  beautiful,  sym- 
metrical bush,  covered  with  tassels  of  the  brightest  scarlet  flowers.  They 
are  unequaled  for  planting  in  masses,  but  are  very  tender,  the  first 
frost  rendering  them  a  blackened  mass. 

Salvia  splendens  variegata  is  a  novelty  possessing  finely  variegated 
foliage,  with  flowers  as  brilliant  as  the  common  kind.  The  roots  can 
be  hung  up  in  the  cellar  in  the  winter — like  the  Geraniums. 

Salvia  patens  is  of  a  deep  blue  color,  of  the  most  perfect  shade.  It 
has  a  tuberous  root,  which  can  be  kept  like  a  Dahlia  through  the  winter, 
in  sand. 

The  Ageratum. 

These  plants  are  excellent  for  beds  and  borders,  on  account  of  their 
constant  bloom.  Their  flowers  are  of  light  porcelain  blue,  in  large 
clusters. 

Ageratum  Mexicanum  is  of  a  light  blue. 

A,  variegatum  has  leaves  variegated  with  yellow,  shading  with 
crimson. 


EVERY  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER.        45 

A,  Tom  Thumb  variety,  growing  from  six  to  eight  inches,  is  desirable 
for  ribbon  gardening ;  contrasting  beautifully  with  dark  crimson  leaves. 

Carnations,  Calceolarias,  Gazanias,  Feverfews,  Lobelias,  Lantanas, 
Neirembergias,  Vincas,  etc.,  etc.,  are  all  desirable  for  bedding-out  plants, 
and  can  all  be  raised  from  cuttings  or  seeds,  but  the  former  is  the  surest 
mode  of  propagation. 


How  to  Grow  Cuttings  of  Geraniums,  Verlenas,  etc.,  etc. 

To  prepare  pots  for  raising  cuttings,  fill  them  two-thirds  full,  with 
rich  loam,  dark  and  porous,  not  clayey  and  heavy;  then  pour  on  an  inch 
or  two  of  yellow  sand.  Wet  this  thoroughly,  and  place  the  cuttings 
close  to  the  edge  of  the  pot ;  the  contact  of  the  pottery  promotes  the 
growth  of  the  cutting.  Cuttings  should  be  taken  from  the  young  and 
newly-formed  wood  of  the  plant ;  but  the  lower  extremity  of  it  should 
not  be  too  young  and  soft,  else  it  will  absorb  too  much  moisture  and 
decay ;  neither  should  it  be  too  old  and  hard,  for  then  it  will  not  imbibe 
moisture  enough  to  enable  it  to  throw  out  roots.  Therefore,  cuttings 
should  be  taken  off  at  the  junction  of  the  old  and  new  wood,  so  that 
these  extremes  will  be  avoided.  They  should  be  cut  off  just  below  a 
joint  or  bud,  as  the  roots  start  from  that  point;  and,  if  a  bud  is  not 
left  at  the  base,  it  is  liable  to  decay ;  the  cut  should  be  made  smooth 
across  the  stem,  taking  care  not  to  bruise  the  bark,  or  leave  it  jagged. 
Most  of  the  hardy,  wooded  shrubs  and  plants  are  easily  propagated  by 
cuttings  planted  in  the  open  air ;  but  the  tender,  watery-stemmed  plants 
like  Verbenas,  Heliotropes,  Fuchsias,  etc.,  should  be  covered  with  a 
hand  glass,  or  raised  in  a  hot-bed.  A  certain  amount  of  heat,  moisture 
and  shade  is  required  to  enable  cuttings  to  strike  roots.  Shade  is  need- 
ful>  because  an  exposure  to  the  sun  or  strong  light  evaporates  the  little 
moisture  contained  in  the  cuttings,  and  causes  them  to  wither  away. 

So,  for  three  days,  or  until  the  cutting  becomes  wonted  to  its  location, 
shade  from  exclusive  sunlight. 

Peter  Henderson  recommends  saucer  propagation. 

Take  a  common  saucer  or  shallow  dish,  fill  it  with  wet  sand  and 
insert  the  cuttings,  pressing  the  sand  close  about  them.  Keep  it  sopping 
wet ;  if  allowed  to  dry  it  will  check  the  growth ;  when  the  old  leaves 
have  dropped,  and  new  ones  appear  at  the  point  of  the  cutting,  roots 
have  formed ;  and  the  plant  may  be  carefully  potted  in  light,  sandy 


46         EVERY  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER. 

loain  shaded  for  a  day,  and  then  have  all  the  sunshine  it  desires,  if  it 
has  also  sufficient  water,  but  you  must  not  let  it  dry  up. 

Cuttings  of  many  plants  can  be  readily  started  in  water ;  and,  in  the 
early  spring,  if  you  have  not  a  green-house  or  hot-bed,  it  is  the  safest 
plan. 

Fill  small  bottles  or  vials,  with  warmish  water,  remove  the  lower 
leaves  of  the  cuttings  (be  sure  to  have  a  bud  at  the  base),  and  put  them 
in  the  water;  hang  up  the  vial  to  the  window  sash,  tying  a  string  about 
the  mouth,  for  this  purpose.  If  cotton  wool  is  put  around  the  mouth 
of  the  vial,  it  will  prevent  the  evaporation  of  the  water,  and  make  the 
roots  sprout  more  quickly  by  keeping  up  a  more  even  temperature. 
Oleanders  can  be  rooted  in  this  manner;  also  Heliotropes,  Verbenas, 
Roses,  Fuchsias,  and  all  kinds  bedding-out  plants. 

The  process  is  so  simple  that  a  mere  child  can  succeed  with  it.  As 
soon  as  the  roots  are  an  inch  long,  the  cutting  should  be  transplanted, 
taking  care  to  spread  out  the  tiny  rootlets  as  they  grow  in  the  water. 

Some  fill  up  the  bottle  with  rich  earth,  let  it  dry  off  for  two  or  three 
days  and  then  break  the  glass,  and  pot  or  plant  out  the  cutting  without 
disturbing  its  roots  in  the  least  degree.  This  is  the  most  certain  way 
of  obtaining  plants  from  cuttings. 


OHAPTEE   Til. 


THE  FUCHSIA. 

"  Thou  graceful  flower,  on  graceful  stem, 
Of  Flora's  gifts  a  fav'rite  gem  ! 
From  tropic  fields  thou  cam'st  to  cheer 
The  natives  of  a  climate  drear; 
And  grateful  for  our  fostering  care,      ,• 
Has  learn' d  the  wintry  blast  to  bear.'' 

Although  Fuchsias,  on  their  first  introduction  into  England,  seventy- 
three  or  four  years  ago,  were  treated  as  stove  plants ;  they  scarcely  come 
under  the  head  of  Window  Gardening,  as  many  of  the  species  live  in 
sheltered  gardens  throughout  the  year,  both  in  England  and  in  this 
country.  In  California,  they  bloom  for  twelve  months  in  the  year,  and 
grow  into  large  bushes,  perfectly  covered  with  brilliant  flowers.  Their 
light  and  graceful  appearance  renders  them  desirable  in  the  smallest 
garden.  Their  gorgeous  pendant  flowers,  with  petals  of  the  richest 
scarlet  dye,  shading  down  to  the  palest  pink,  or  the  purest  white,  with 
corollas  of  glowing  purple,  scarlet,  pink  or  white,  produce  a  most 
attractive  whole,  and  entitle  them  to  a  chapter  by  themselves,  for  they 
are  the  chief  among  "bedding-out"  plants. 

To  their  glorious  beauty,  Fuchsias  add  three  other  desirable  requisites: 
their  free  growth,  their  general  hardiness,  and  the  ease  with  which  they 
are  propagated. 

In  bedding  them  out,  a  moist,  shady  position  is  the  most  suitable; 
our  noonday  sun  scorches  the  tender  buds,  and  causes  them  to  fall. 
Their  native  home  is  in  Brazil,  where  Darwin  saw  large  thickets  of 
them,  and  they  choose  moist  locations  in  the  woods.  In  rich,  loamy 
soil,  well  mixed  with  leaf  mould  and  rotted  cow  manure,  the  growth  of 


48         EVERT  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER. 

a  young  cutting  is  very  rapid,  and  will  make  a  large  plant  by  the 
autumn.  When  it  has  commenced  to  grow,  don't  check  it  by  neglect, 
but  during  the  Summer  months  water  twice  a  day  with  tepid  water,  and, 
if  possible,  give  it  liquid  manure  water,  either  from  the  barn-yard,  or  by 
dissolving  one  table-spoonful  of  guano  in  one  gallon  of  warm  water ; 
water  with  this  twice  a  week,  and  its  growth  will  astonish  you.  Fuchsias 
are  as  gross  feeders  as  the  Pansy,  and  luxuriate  in  the  richest  soil;  thus 
treated,  some  kinds  will  send  out  shoots  from  four  to  five  feet  in  length 
in  six  or  eight  months. 

They  show  to  great  advantage  when  trained  as  standards ;  to  do  this, 
the  side  shoots  of  a  young  plant  must  be  nipped  off,  and  the  stem  trained 
up  a  straight  stick.  When  the  plant  grows  high  enough  for  your 
purpose,  let  the  side  shoots  branch  out,  and  you  can  grow  a  fine  tree. 
They  can  also  be  trained  to  walls,  or  planted  in  masses  in  beds.  If  the 
young  plant  does  not  branch  out,  pinch  off  the  terminal  shoot,  and  side 
branches  will  appear,  and  the  most  central  shoot  can  be  trained  up  for 
a  leader.  If  plants  are  set  near  the  cooling  spray  of  a  fountain,  they 
thrive  well,  but  must  not  be  so  near  as  to  keep  their  roots  constantly  wet. 

Culture. 

Many  gardeners  prefer  to  have  new  plants  every  season,  but  if  old 
ones  are  judiciously  cared  for,  they  will  produce  a  finer  effect,  and  bloom 
more  profusely.  Large  plants  can  be  kept  in  frost-proo£  dry  cellars 
during  the  winter,  either  in  pots  or  in  boxes ;  or  they  can  be  pulled  up 
by  the  roots,  the  soil  shaken  from  them,  and  packed  in  layers  in  sand 
which  is  thoroughly  dry,  first  cutting  off  all  the  tender  shoots.  In  March 
or  April  they  can  be  brought  to  the  light,  and  planted  in  good,  rich 
soil,  pruning  not  only  the  top,  but  the  roots.  In  cutting  the  top  back, 
have  an  eye  to  its  shape,  and  prune  accordingly. 

Some  of  the  Fuchsias  are  of  much  taller  growth  than  others.  Speciosa 
will  grow  six  to  eight  feet  in  height ;  Pride  of  England  is  a  small  bush 
compared  to  it ;  while  Souvenir  de  Cheswick  will  readily  train  into  a 
fine  standard. 

Plants  must  be  allowed  to  follow  their  natural  habits  in  some  respects. 

To  Grow  Cuttings. 

Fuchsias  will  strike  root  as  rapidly  as  Geraniums.  Take  the  cuttings 
either  in  February,  March  or  April,  from  three  to  four  inches  long 


EVERY  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  49 

Plant  in  clear  sand,  keep  "  sopping  wet,"  and  in  three  weeks  they  will 
be  well  rooted.  Pot  in  three-inch  pots,  in  the  richest  of  soil,  with  a 
little  sand  to  keep  it  mellow ;  let  them  grow  until  the  pot  is  well  filled 
with  roots,  which  will  be  in  three  or  four  weeks,  then  repot  in  six  to 
eight  inch  pots,  if  designed  to  grow  in  them ;  but  if  raised  to  bed  out, 
plant  in  five-inch  pots,  and  when  all  fear  of  frost  is  passed,  plant  in  the 
open  borders. 

Be  sure  not  to  let  the  summer  heat  kill  your  plants.  They  will  grow 
well  under  trees,  if  the  branches  are  fifteen  feet  or  more  from  the  ground, 
so  that  the  air  can  circulate  freely.  These  plants  are  liable  to  lose  their 
leaves  and  buds  if  the  soil  is  not  rich  enough  to  their  taste,  and  red 
spiders  often  infest  them,  ruining  their  growth.  For  the  poverty  of  the 
soil,  either  repot  entirely,  or  give  a  top  dressing  of  manure;  for  the 
spiders,  sprinkle  daily,  and  they  may  be  driven  off — they  do  not  love 
water ;  but  if  this  remedy  fails,  dip  the  whole  plant  into  water  quite 
warm  to  the  hand.  A  dusting  of  sulphur  will  kill  them,  but  it  often 
kills  the  leaves  also. 

I  was  much  troubled  with  spiders  last  season,  on  fine  plants  of 
Marksman  and  Carl  Halt.  I  dusted  them  over  with  "  Grafton  Mineral 
Fertilizer,"  and  destroyed  every  one.  I  scattered  the  same  powder  over 
the  soil,  digging  in  a  teaspoonful  to  each  pot  (size  eight  inches),  and  in 
September  the  plants  were  in  a  blaze  of  glory,  the  admiration  of  every 
passer-by^! 

Tlie  Double  Flowering  Fuchsias. 

By  careful  culture  from  seed,  these  brilliant  varieties  were  produced, 
and  are  unsurpassed  for  beauty  and  elegance  by  any  plant  in  the  floral 
world.  Studded  all  over  with  their  bright  wealth  of  jewels,  they  far 
outshine  their  single  brethren. 

Elm  City  held  front  rank  for  some  years,  but  Marksman  far  surpasses 
it  now,  and  Warrior  is  said  to  eclipse  all  others.  It  has  a  scarlet  tube  and 
sepals,  with  a  rich  violet-purple  corolla,  and  possesses  a  vigorous  habit. 
So  numerous  are  the  varieties  of  these  charming  flowers,  that  one  can 
hardly  make  a  selection,  when  all  are  so  desirable,  but  from  the  lists  of 
English  and  American  florists  I  cull  the  following,  to  add  to  those  above 
mentioned : — 

Select  List  of  Double  Fuchsias. 

Tower  of  London,  scarlet  sepals,  violet-blue  corolla. 
Surpasse  V.  de  Puebla,  scarlet  sepals,  double  white  corolla. 
4 


50  EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

Monstrosa,  bright  rose  sepals,  double  white  corolla. 
Norfolk  Giant,  crimson  sepals,  violet  corolla. 

Nonpareil,  two  corollas,  the  stamens  forming  a  second  corolla  of  a 
purplish  blue ;  very  elegant. 

E.  G.  Henderson,  scarlet  sepals,  rich  violet  corolla. 
Wilhelm  Pfitzer,  rosy-carmine  sepals,  corolla  lavender-blue. 
Symbol,  crimson  tube  and  sepals,  creamy-white  corolla. 
Emperor  of  the  Fuchsias,  sepals  crimson,  white  corolla. 
Grand  Duke,  crimson,  violet-purple  corolla. 
Picturata,  scarlet  sepals,  double  white  corolla. 
Snowdrop,  sepals  bright  scarlet,  semi-double  white  corolla. 

Select  List  of  Single  Fuchsias. 

Charming,  violet  corolla,  crimson  sepals,  immense  clusters. 

Annie,  tube  and  sepals  white,  corolla  deep  pink. 

Arabella,  white  sepals,  corolla  richest  pink ;  earliest  variety. 

Jules  Calot,  sepals  of  an  orange  red,  orange-crimson  corolla. 

Lustre,  vermillion  corolla,  waxy- white  sepals;  early. 

Prince  Imperial,  scarlet  sepals,  large  violet  corolla. 

Father  Ignatius,  carmine  sepals,  blue  corolla,  bell  shaped. 

Fairest  of  the  Fair,  violet-rose  corolla,  white  tube  and  sepals. 

Land  of  Plenty,  rich  red  sepals,  violet-black  corolla. 

Marginata,  white  sepals,  pink  corolla,  shaded  to  bright  rose  color. 

Eose  of  Castile,  violet  corolla,  sepals  white. 

Souvenir  de  Cheswick,  rosy-crimson  sepals,  violet  corolla. 

Striped  Unique,  purple  corolla,  striped  with  scarlet. 

Tagliona,  white  reflexed  sepals,  dark  violet  corolla. 

Wave  of  Life,  violet-blue  corolla,  scarlet  sepals,  gold  tinted  foliage. 

Weeping  Beauty,  scarlet  sepals,  large  blue  corolla. 

The  Golden  Leaved  Fuchsias. 

Of  this  variety  there  have  been  but  two  specimens,  Cloth  of  Gold  and 
Golden  Fleece,  until  the  importation  of  1871,  when  several  more  were 
added  to  the  list  which  have  attracted  much  attention  in  England  for 
their  beautiful  foliage  and  graceful  habit. 

Crown  of  Jewels,  leaves  clear  yellow,  tipped  with  rich  red  crimson, 
ornamental  at  all  seasons. 

Golden  Mantle,  golden  yellow  leaves,  flowers  coral  red. 


EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  51 

Golden  Treasure,  very  attractive,  gold  colored  leaves  tinted  with 
bronze. 

Orange  Boven,  the  smallest  variety  grown ;  golden  leaves  tipped  with 
bronze. 

The  Winter  Flowering  FucJisias. 

These  are  few  in  number — only  two  varieties,  which  are  sure  to  bloom 
from  December  to  May. 

Speciosa  is  well  known ;  it  produces  flowers  two  inches  in  length, 
tubes  and  sepals  are  a  waxen  peach-blossom  color,  with  crimson  corolla. 

Serratifolia  is  an  equally  valuable  variety;  the  flowers  are  distinct 
from  any  other  Fuchsia.  The  tube  of  the  flower  is  crimson,  the  tips  of 
the  sepals  shading  to  green,  corolla  light  crimson,  with  white  stamens. 
Both  these  plants  are  extensively  cultivated,  and,  if  well  fed,  will  bloom 
profusely  when  flowers  are  a  rarity. 


OHAPTEE  VIII. 


CULTIVATION  OF  THE  KOSE. 

"  Nymphs  who  haunt  th'  embowering  shades, 
Poesy's  enchanting  maids, 
Woo  thee,  Rose!    Thy  charms  inspire 
All  the  raptures  of  the  lyre; 
Cull  we  straight  the  inviting  Rose, 
Shielded  by  the  thorn  it  grows; 
Cull  the  Rose!  what  boots  the  smart? 
Countless  sweets  regale  the  heart." 

Thus  sang  Anacreon,  the  Greek  poet,  hundreds  of  years  ago,  in  praise 
of  the  Queen  of  Flowers,  which  was  used  to  decorate  the  temple  and 
the  palace — the  solemn  rites  of  religion,  and  the  festal  gayety  of  the 
banquet. 

France  excels  all  other  nations  in  the  production  of  new  varieties  of 
this  lovely  flower.  The  Empress  Josephine  collected  every  variety  then 
cultivated,  for  a  rosary  at  Malmaison;  and,  under  her  patronage,  the 
culture  of  roses  became  speedily  the  fashion.  The  skill  and  patience  of 
the  florists  produced  more  beautiful  varieties,  under  the  stimulus  thus 
given  to  their  trade ;  and  they  have  continued  to  give  us  yearly  many 
rich  and  rare  roses ;  but  have  not  yet  succeeded  in  producing  a  blue 
rose.  The  English  florists  are  but  little  behind  the  French,  in  their 
attention  to  this  charming  flower ;  and  our  own  nurserymen  yearly  pro- 
duce many  beautiful  varieties. 

Thousands  of  named  sorts  are  oifered  to  us ;  and  it  is  very  hard  to 
make  a  selection  when  all  possess  so  much  merit.  It  is  usually  best,  in 
purchasing  plants,  to  leave  the  selection  to  the  florist,  merely  stating  the 
climate,  and  soil  in  which  they  will  grow. 


I 
EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  53 

It  is  also  best  to  grow  roses  on  their  roots,  unless  "  standards "  are 
desired,  for  the  old  roots  will  throw  up  strong  suckers,  and  thus  assert 
their  rights  to  the  detriment  of  their  nursling ;  unless  these  are  constantly 
watched  for,  and  cut  off,  they  will  destroy  the  graft. 

The  varieties  of  the  rose  have  increased  with  such  rapidity  in  the  last 
twelve  years,  and  they  have  produced  so  many  new  races,  that  it  is 
scarcely  possible  for  the  most  skillful  botanist  to  refer  each  variety  to  its 
proper  parent  species.  There  are  Hybrid  Perpetuals,  Bourbons,  Bengal, 
Chinese  or  Daily  Rose ;  Tea-scented,  Noisette,  Perpetual  Moss,  Annual 
Moss,  Prairie  Rose  as  climbers ;  Scotch,  Damask  and  all  the  old  varieties 
of  Garden  Roses. 

From  the  thousands  of  names  offered  in  the  catalogues,  lists  of  those 
most  desirable  will  be  given ;  but,  of  course,  every  one  has  his  own  pet 
fancies. 

There  is  no  plant  which  requires  a  richer  soil  or  better  repays  the 
cultivator  for  attending  to  its  wants ;  when  grown  in  a  congenial  soil 
its  blossoms  are  perfect. 

The  best  soil  is  fresh  loam  enriched  with  well-rotted  cow  manure, 
with  a  little  sand.  If  a  top  dressing  of  this  compost  is  given  every 
spring  before  the  buds  start,  the  branches  will  make  fine  growth. 

The  finest  clusters  of  flowers  are  always  produced  on  new  wood,  and 
close  pruning  will  cause  more  new  wood  to  grow,  and  ensure  you  a  more 
splendid  show  of  flowers.  Use  the  knife  freely,  though  it  does  make 
you  ache  to  do  so ;  cut  all  the  old  growth  out,  and  prune  in  last  year's 
branches  a  little ;  thus  pruned,  the  roots  will  throw  up  new  shoots,  from 
whence  will  come  the  finest  roses  of  the  garden. 

As  soon  as  the  plants  have  done  flowering,  thin  out  the  weak  shoots, 
and  even  some  of  the  stronger  ones,  if  they  are  too  crowded;  each 
shoot  left,  should  be  exposed  on  every  side  to  air  and  sun.  The  summer 
flowering  kinds  thus  treated  will  continue  their  growth  from  the  main 
shoots,  and  bloom  much  finer  another  year ;  while  the  autumnal  flowers 
push  forth  their  buds  the  entire  length  of  the  stalk,  and  the  second 
flowering  is  perfected. 

The  roses  are  improved  in  both  varieties ;  for  shoots  grown  at  that 
period  of  the  year  invariably  produce  the  finest  flowers. 

It  has  been  recommended  by  some  writers,  to  destroy  the  first  bloom 
of  those  roses  which  bloom  twice  in  the  season ;  because  there  is  an 
abundance  of  roses  in  June,  and  by  so  doing  a  finer  bloom  is  obtained 


54        EVERY  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER. 

in  the  autumn.  Too  many  roses !  Has  any  one  ever  witnessed  such  a 
season  ?  Let  them  bloom  when  they  will,  and  cut  off  the  stems  as  soon 
as  the  leaves  fall ;  then  remove  the  soil  to  the  depth  of  three  or  fo  ur 
inches,  and  spread  over  it,  almost  close  to  the  stem,  a  spadeful  of  cow 
manure  well  decayed ;  throw  back  the  soil  that  was  removed,  and,  if  the 
weather  is  hot  and  dry,  water  occasionally,  and  you  will  have  a  vigorous 
growth  and  a  profuse  flowering. 

The  flower  stalk  should  always  be  cut  off;  it  exhausts  the  plant  to 
form  seeds,  and  consumes  the  strength  which  should  go  to  forming  new 
shoots.  When  roses  are  planted  in  lawns,  they  should  have  no  sods  near 
the  roots ;  for  the  grass  will  absorb  all  the  moisture,  and  also  prevent 
the  air  from  reaching  the  soiL 

The  best  time  to  plant  hardy  roses  is  in  October  or  November,  accord- 
ing to  the  climate. 

Spring  months  are  better  for  planting  half-hardy  and  tender  roses, 
as  their  roots  will  not  get  started  before  winter  sets  in.  Of  course,  in 
the  mild  climates  of  the  Southern  States,  they  can  also  be  planted  in 
the  late  autumn.  When  first  set  out  they  should  be  mulched  with 
coarse  manure,  and  watered  occasionally,  if  the  weather  is  warm  and  dry. 

Cuttings  of  Roses. 

Roses  are  propagated  chiefly  by  cuttings,  layers  and  buds.  Cuttings 
of  the  hardy  kind  of  roses,  will  strike  easily  in  July  and  August. 
Hybrid  Perpetual,  Chinese  and  Bourbon,  with  all  the  other  kinds  will 
grow  readily,  if  the  cutting  has,  what  gardeners  term,  a  heel ;  that  is, 
cut  off  close  to  the  old  wood.  Three,  four  or  even  six  eyes  can  be  left 
above  ground. 

Plant  them  as  recommended  in  chapter  six ;  in  wet  sand.  A  dozen 
cuttings  can  be  set  an  inch  apart,  close  to  the  pot ;  and  the  sand  should 
not  be  allowed  to  dry  at  all.  If  covered  with  a  "  cloche?  or  hand-glass, 
a  moist  temperature  will  be  kept  up,  and,  in  two  or  three  weeks,  they 
will  commence  to  grow. 

Layering  Roses. 

Roses  grown  as  dwarfs  or  bushes  are  the  kind  that  will  layer  advan- 
tageously. Loosen  the  soil  about  the  plant,  then  choose  a  good  shoot, 
strip  off  a  few  leaves  from  six  inches  to  two  feet  from  the  point  of 
the  shoot;  insert  a  sharp  knife  just  behind  an  eye,  on  the  upper  side 


EVERT  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  55 

of  the  shoot,  and  pass  it  carefully  upwards  cutting  about  half  through 
the  stem,  and  from  an  inch  to  two  inches  in  length.  Open  the  soil, 
bend  down  the  shoots  and  press  it  in ;  peg  it  down  with  a  hair  pin  or  a 
bit  of  wood,  two  or  three  inches  beneath  the  soil,  and  coyer  it  firmly. 
Each  layer  should  be  tied  to  a  stake  to  prevent  the  wind  from  disturb- 
ing the  roots. 

June,  July  and  August  are  the  best  months  for  layering.  If  the 
weather  is  dry  and  hot,  water  frequently.  Don't  let  the  layers  dry  up ; 
about  October  or  November  they  will  be  large  enough  to  take  away. 
Cut  them  off  within  two  inches  of  the  root,  and  transplant  them  wher- 
ever they  are  desired.  In  the  spring  prune  the  stem  down  to  three  or 
four  eyes,  and  they  will  bloom  finely. 

The  Chinese  method  of  layering  is  often  more  successful  than  any 
other. 

At  the  end  of  July  or  beginning  of  August,  they  select  a  strong  shoot 
of  the  same  year's  growth,  tongue  it,  as  described  above,  and  put  in  a 
small  stone  to  keep  the  slit  open,  and  bind  a  handful  of  fresh  green 
moss  around  the  tongue.  This  must  be  kept  constantly  wet,  and  the 
tiny  roots  will  shoot  forth  into  the  moss  so  rapidly,  that  in  five  or  six 
weeks  the  layer  can  be  removed  from  the  parent  stalk.  The  roots  can 
be  planted  without  disturbing  the  moss,  and  fine  plants  are  thus  pro- 
cured. 


Budding  roses  is  a  very  simple  process,  and  an  old  razor  can  do  duty 
for  a  budding  knife,  and  the  handle  of  an  old  toothbrush,  if  scraped 
down  smooth,  will  answer  for  a  wedge. 

The  latter  part  of  June  to  the  middle  of  August,  is  the  best  season 
for  budding ;  or,  when  the  bark  of  the  stalk  can  be  easily  raised  from 
the  wood,  this  is  a  sure  sign  that  one  can  bud  with  success. 

Take  a  smooth  part  of  the  stem  at  the  height  you  desire,  and  on  the 
side  least  exposed  to  the  sun ;  with  the  razor  make  a  horizontal  cut 
across  the  bark  through  to  the  wood,  but  not  in  to  it ;  from  the  center 
of  this  cross-cut  make  one  straight  down  the  stem,  an  inch  or  more  in 
length ;  these  two  cuts  should  be  in  the  form  of  a  T- 

Now  prepare  the  bud,  or  shield,  as  it  is  termed.  Slice  it  off  from  the 
rose  you  desire  to  bud  from  at  one  cut,  and  the  shoot  must  be  cut  off 
close  to  the  main  stalk ;  then  the  bud  is  sliced  off,  with  a  portion  of 
the  old  wood  adhering  to  it;  most  of  this  should  be  picked  out,  but  a 


56  EVERY    WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

little  at  the  back  of  the  bud  is  essential  to  life ;  if  you  make  a  hole 
through  its  bark  throw  it  away,  it  will  not  grow. 

Now,  with  the  thin  edge  of  the  toothbrush  handle,  turn  back  the 
stem  on  each  side  of  the  straight  cut,  and  insert  the  bud  close  to  the 
wood,  and  fit  it  accurately  and  firmly  to  the  cross-cut  in  the  turned- 
back  bark;  on  this  close  contact  of  the  two  barks  will  depend  the  suc- 
cess of  your  operation. 

Lay  the  turned-back  bark  closely  over  the  bud,  or  shield,  and  with 
woolen  yarn,  or  a  bit  of  bass-wood,  bind  it  down,  leaving  the  point  of 
the  bud  clear. 

Common  adhesive  plaster  is  said  to  be  better  for  this  purpose  than 
either  yarn  or  bass.  A  handful  of  damp  moss  should  be  tied  around 
the  whole,  leaving  the  tiny  point  of  the  bud  exposed  to  the  air. 

In  six  weeks  at  the  farthest  these  ties  can  be  removed. 

All  other  shoots  on  that  stem  should  be  cut  off,  so  as  to  throw  the 
strength  of  the  plant  into  the  support  of  the  new  comer. 

By  budding  you  may  produce  several  kinds  of  roses  upon  the  same 
plant.  Take  a  common  wild  rose,  cut  down  all  its  suckers,  and  trim 
in  its  branches,  and  bud  with  white,  pink,  crimson  and  yellow  roses. 

As  soon  as  the  buds  commence  to  grow,  cut  off  all  the  wild  shoots, 
and  you  will  have  a  beautiful  show  of  flowers. 

Variegated  shrubs  can  be  budded  in  this  manner  upon  the  plain  green 
stocks.  Grafting  roses  is  not  so  popular  as  formerly ;  but  the  opera- 
tion is  easily  performed.  Any  one  who  can  graft  a  tree,  can  graft  a  rose. 
The  stock  to  be  grafted  should  be  more  forward  than  the  scion,  and  the 
operation  should  be  performed  when  the  sap  is  rising.  April  or  May 
are  the  best  months. 

The  most  important  points  in  a  good  rose  are,  that  its  "  constitution 
should  be  hardy,  and  vigorous,  with  a  robust  habit  of  growth,  good 
foliage  and  profuse  bloom.  The  flower  should  be  fine  in  form,  large  in 
size,  decided  in  color.  The  form  of  the  flower,  whether  it  be  globular, 
cupped,  or  widely  expanded,  should  be  symmetrical ;  the  petals  even  and 
regular  in  their  arrangement,  full  but  not  too  crowded ;  the  outer  range 
broad  and  firmly  set,  rendering  the  flower  more  lasting.  In  texture 
they  should  be  firm  and  thick,  not  thin  and  flimsy.  Fragrance,  and  a 
firm  upright  stem  are  desirable  points.  A  green  or  yellow  center  to  a 
flower  when  fully  open,  is  a  great  fault.  There  is  no  kind  of  shrub  in 
existence  so  well  adapted  to  take  various  forms  as  the  rose.  It  can  be 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  57 

used  as  a  dwarf  to  fill  the  smallest  beds;  as  a  shrub  to  plant  among 
evergreens ;  and  as  a  tall  standard  to  form  avenues  of  roses  on  each  side 
of  a  walk. 

It  can  be  planted  in  groups  with  a  climber  in  the  center,  half  stand- 
ards around  it,  and  dwarfs  for  an  edging ;  again,  as  climbers  to  adorn 
a  villa  or  a  cottage,  also  to  cover  bare  walls  and  trellises.  Yet  none  of 
these  forms  will  show  off  its  beauty  and  elegance  as  effectually  as  train- 
ing it  to  a  pillar. 

Pillar  Roses. 

Iron  rods  with  arches  of  the  same  material,  or  small  chains  hung 
loosely  from  pillar  to  pillar  so  as  to  form  festoons,  will  produce  a  charm- 
ing effect,  making  a  lovely  bower. 

The  pillars  can  be  made  either  of  a  single  upright  post,  or  four  rods 
can  be  set  at  about  nine  inches  distant  from  each  other,  thus  forming  a 
square  pillar,  fastened  with  interlacings  of  strong  copper  wire. 

The  rose  can  be  planted  in  the  center,  and  the  branches  trained  to 
each  corner  rod,  the  small  shoots  twined  between  them.  Bring  all  the 
shoots  to  the  outside,  and  do  not  let  any  twine  round  the  rods,  but  tie 
them  to  each  with  strings ;  and  whenever  they  require  painting,  which 
is  needful  to  protect  the  iron  from  rusting,  or,  if  the  plants  are  tender, 
and  need  protection,  they  are  easily  loosened  from  their  support.  Poles 
of  oak,  ash  or  pine  can  supply  the  places  of  the  iron  rods;  and,  by 
fixing  them  firmly  into  the  ground  in  a  triangular  shape,  three  feet  apart 
at  the  base,  and  fastening  the  tops  together  with  strong  copper  wire,  a 
pyramid  of  different  colors  can  be  formed,  by  planting  three  different 
roses  at  the  foot  of  the  poles,  and  training  them  so  that  the  various 
hues  will  be  seen. 

Weeping  Roses. 

These  form  beautiful  objects  when  planted  singly  on  lawns.  Eoses 
of  a  pendulous  habit  must  be  used,  such  as  the  Aryshire  and  Evergreen. 
End  them  on  stocks  four  feet  or  upwards  in  height;  the  main  shoots, 
after  the  second  year,  should  not  be  shortened  until  they  touch  the 
ground ;  prune  only  the  side  branches,  and  the  flowers  will  be  produced 
from  all  along  the  branches  from  the  head  to  the  ground. 

When  they  attain  their  full  size  a  hoop  shall  be  attached  to  prevent 
the  branches  from  blowing  about  in  the  wind. 


58  EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

Slugs  on  Rose  Bushes* 

For  several  years  past  these  pests  have  ruined  the  glory  of  the  "  Queen 
of  Flowers,"  and  turned  her  beauty  into  deformity,  changing  the  orna- 
ments of  the  garden  with  unsightly  bushes,  sparsely  covered  with  skele- 
ton leaves. 

Before  the  buds  are  formed,  minute  white  spots  appear  on  the  under 
surface  of  the  leaves ;  these  change  rapidly  into  horrid  green  worms 
which  devour  all  the  green  part  of  the  leaves,  and  also  the  buds  and  flowers. 
If  taken  in  season  they  can  be  destroyed.  I  used  "  Grafton  Mineral  Ferti- 
lizer "  with  great  effect  last  season,  keeping  the  foliage  of  a  tall  pink 
Moss  Rose  entirely  free  from  their  ravages ;  while  directly  across  the  path, 
a  yellow  Harrison  was  left  to  them,  and  was  utterly  ruined. 

The  powder  is  inodorous ;  can  be  scattered  over  the  leaves  before  the 
dew  is  dried  off,  and  will  drive  them  away.  I  made  the  first  applica- 
tion in  May,  a  second  one  early  in  June,  and  a  third  after  the  roses  had 
fled.  Not  a  green  worm  was  seen  on  the  leaves.  The  foliage  was 
perfect. 

Powdered  lime,  if  scattered  over  the  leaves  while  wet  with  dew,  wil) 
also  keep  them  off. 

A  few  years  ago  I  saw  a  most  beautiful  rose  garden  at  Plattsburgh, 
N.  Y.,  not  a  slug  had  touched  the  leaves,  and  it  was  early  in  July.  The 
lady  owner  told  me  that  the  bushes  were  syringed  with  ten  gallons  of 
warm  water,  in  which  one  pint  of  soft  soap,  and  one  pint  of  common 
fine  salt  had  been  dissolved.  This  mixture  killed  them  all.  It  was 
applied  in  May,  and  again  in  June. 

Other  preparations  are  used ;  white  hellebore,  sprinkled  on  through  a 
dredging  box,  and  flour  of  sulphur,  similarly  applied,  are  found  effi- 
cacious. There  are  two  crops  of  the  slugs ;  the  first  comes  in  May,  and 
when  the  worms  are  fully  developed  they  burrow  in  the  ground,  and 
lie  in  a  chrysalis  state  until  August,  when  they  appear  with  wings,  and 
lay  a  crop  of  eggs  for  the  ensuing  summer.  If  the  first  crop  are  not 
entirely  destroyed,  it  is  well  to  repeat  the  application  in  August,  so  as 
to  diminish  the  supply  for  the  next  season. 

The  following  comprises  a  good  collection  of  Hybrid  Perpetuals : — 

Achille  Gonaud,  bright  carmine. 

Alex.  Bachmeteff,  deep,  brilliant  rose,  large  and  fine. 

Baron  Prevost,  rich  rose  color. 

Cardinal  Patrizzi,  dark,  velvety  crimson. 


EVERY  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  59 

Comte  Litta,  velvety  purple. 

Caroline  de  Sansal,  pale  flesh  color. 

Eugene  Appert,  scarlet  crimson. 

Gen.  Jacqueminot,  brilliant  red,  very  large. 

John  Hopper,  rosy-crimson,  extra. 

Jules  Margottin,  carmine,  shaded  to  purple. 

La  Reine,  clear  rose,  large  cupped,  superb. 

Lady  Emily  Peel,  white,  edged  with  rose. 

Mad'lle  Bonnaire,  pure  white,  tinged  with  rose  at  the  center. 

Mad.  Freeman,  white,  with  yellowish  shade. 

Poeonia,  deep  brilliant  crimson. 

Reine  des  Violets,  reddish  violet. 

Victor  Verdier,  large,  full  carmine,  one  of  the  best. 

Bourbon  Roses. 

Archduke  Charles,  rosy  crimson. 

Bourbon  Queen,  rich  blush. 

Blanche  Lafitte,  pale  flesh  color,  beautiful. 

Duchesse  Furringe,  white. 

Empress  Eugene,  deep  rose. 

Jupiter,  dark  purple. 

Hermosa  Pink,  a  profuse  bloomer,  with  lovely  buds. 

Malmaison,  blush,  large  and  fine. 

Omar  Pasha,  deep  carmine. 

Paxton,  bright  rose,  crimson  shaded. 

Sombreuil,  white. 

Bengal  or  China  Roses. 

Agrippina,  deep  crimson. 
Archduke  Charles,  changeable. 
Eugene  Beauharnais,  rich  crimson. 
Indica  Alba,  white  daily. 
Madam  Preon,  fine  rose. 
Lucullus,  dark  crimson. 
Pink  Daily. 

Louis  Philippe,  crimson  and  rose. 
Sanguinea,  blood-red. 


60        EVERY  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER. 

Noisette  Roses. 
Augusta,  pale  yellow. 
Amie  Vibert,  pure  white. 
Beauty  of  Green  Mount,  deep  rose  color. 
Gloire  de  Dijon,  bronze  yellow,  with  orange  center. 
Lamarque,  large,  pure  white. 
La  Pactole,  pale  yellow. 
Setina,  bright  pink. 
Solfaterre,  yellowish  white. 

Souvenir  de  Anselm,  clear  carmine,  yery  fragrant. 
Washington,  clear  white. 

Tea  Scented  Roses. 

Alba  Rosea,  white,  with  rose  center. 

Amabilis,  rose  color. 

Belle  Alamande,  blush. 

Bougere,  salmon  rose,  bronzed. 

Bon  Silene,  purple,  shaded  to  carmine. 

Marechal  Niel,  golden  yellow,  sweetest  of  the  sweet. 

Cornelia  Cook,  canary  yellow. 

Devoniensis,  creamy  white. 

Leveson  Gower,  rosy  salmon. 

Madame  Falcot,  nankeen  yellow. 

Madame  de  Vatrey,  carmine  rose. 

Pauline  Lebonte,  light  blush. 

Safrano,  bright  buff,  very  free  bloomer. 

Triomphe  de  Luxembourg,  rose  color. 

"White  Tea,  pure  white,  blooms  freely. 

Moss  Roses. — Perpetual. 

Perpetual  White,  very  fine. 

Madame  Edward  Ory,  deep  rose. 

Maupertius,  velvety-red,  very  dark. 

Raphael,  blush,  large  clusters. 

Salet,  bright  rose. 

Souvenir  de  Pierre  Vibert,  dark  red,  shaded  with  violet. 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  61 

Annual  Moss  Roses. 
English  Moss,  old  variety,  very  mossy. 
Adelaide,  crimson. 
Glory  of  Mosses,  rose  color;  fine. 
Alice  Leroy,  pale  lilac. 
Luxembourg,  crimson. 
Henry  Martin,  brilliant  carmine. 

Prairie  Roses. — Hardy  Climbers. 

Baltimore  Belle,  nearly  white. 

Queen  of  the  Prairie,  rosy  red. 

Seven  Sisters,  crimson,  shading  to  white. 

Gem  of  the  Prairies,  a  hybrid  between  the  Queen  of  the  Prairie  and 
Madame  Laffay;  a  strong,  vigorous  grower,  floAvers  rich  rosy  crimson, 
and  of  delicious  fragrance.  A  great  acquisition  to  climbing  roses. 

The  oldest  Eose  Bush  in  the  world  is  said  to  be  one  which  is  trained 
upon  one  side  of  the  Cathedral  of  Hildesheim,  in  Germany.  Its  age  is 
unknown,  but  documents  exist  which  prove  that  a  Bishop  Hezelio, 
nearly  a  thousand  years  ago,  protected  it  by  a  stone  roof,  which  is  still 
in  existence.  The  largest  Eose  Bush  is  a  white  Banksia,  in  the  Marine 
Garden  at  London,  which  was  sent  there,  the  first  of  its  kind,  in  1813, 
by  Bonpland.  Its  numerous  branches,  some  of  which  measure  eighteen 
inches  in  circumference,  cover  an  immense  wall  to  a  width  of  nearly 
sixty  feet,  and  at  times,  in  early  Spring,  as  many  as  fifty  thousand  flowers 
have  been  counted  on  this  Queen  of  all  Eoses  ! 

"  Roses  are  of  royal  birth, 
Loveliest  monarchs  of  the  earth! 
Not  the  realm  of  flowers  alone, 
But  human  hearts  their  sceptre  own. 
Mark  what  flowers  the  maiden's  hand 
Gathers  for  her  bridal  band; 
What  the  sweetest  influence  shed, 
Round  the  grateful  sufferer's  bed; 
What  with  holiest  light  illume 
The  grief  and  darkness  of  the  tomb." 


OHAPTEE   IX. 


ORNAMENTAL  VINES. 

"Flowers!  bright,  beautiful,  love-beaming  flowers, 
They  are  linked  with  life's  sweetest  and  sunniest  hours; 
Like  stars  about  our  pathway 
They  shine  so  pure  and  fair, 
Blooming  in  rich  profusion, 
Greeting  us  everywhere." 

Trees  and  flowers  are  not  enough  with  which  to  adorn  and  beautify 
our  surroundings;  we  must  have  vines,  an  abundance  of  vines.  A 
house  without  vines  is  like  a  bird  without  a  mate;  it  wears  a  look  of 
desolation.  Vines  grow  so  thriftily,  bloom  so  profusely,  and  can  be 
twined  into  so  many  beautiful  forms  —  are  so  fresh,  blooming  and 
fragrant — that  they  should  be  trained  about  every  house.  The  most 
modest  little  cot  can  be  transformed  into  a  flowery  bower  by  the  aid  of 
a  few  climbing  plants.  Your  homes  may  lack  the  paint,  gilding  and 
tapestry  that  adorn  those  of  your  neighbors,  but  if  vines  are  trained 
over  the  doors  and  windows,  they  will  present  a  fresh  beauty  and  glory 
every  Summer's  morn,  which  the  products  of  art  cannot  surpass. 

Nature  has  given  us  the  means  of  adorning  our  surroundings,  and 
they  are  innocent,  animating,  and  contribute  to  our  piety  towards  her. 
"We  do  not  half  avail  ourselves  of  the  cheap  riches  wherewith  she  adorns 
the  earth.  A  few  seeds,  for  instance,  and  a  little  trouble,  would  clothe 
our  houses  every  Summer  as  high  as  we  choose,  with  draperies  of  green 
and  scarlet,  and  after  admiring  the  beauty  we  might  eat  the  produce. 
But  then  this  produce  is  a  bean,  and  beans  are  vulgar.  Nobody  despises 
a  vine  in  front  of  a  house,  for  vines  are  polite,  and  the  graphs  seldom 


EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  63 

good  enough  to  be  of  use.  Hops  are  like  vines,  yet  who  thinks  of 
adorning  his  house  with  them  ?  No,  they  also  are  vulgar !  Thus  writes 
Leigh  Hunt  in  his  flowery  "Essays."  There  are  many  despised  things 
that  are,  if  properly  cultivated,  capable  of  great  beauty;  but  I  should 
prefer  the  Scarlet  Bean  as  a  covering  to  my  pantry  windows,  and  the 
Hop  and  Grape  Vine  to  trail  over  the  kitchen  garden  wall,  while  the 
Morning  Glory,  with  all  its  wealth  of  entangled  vines  and  flowers, 
should  throw  its  radiance  around  the  dining-room  piazza,  and  shield  its 
windows  from  the  scorching  sun  at  noonday.  These  same  Morning 
Glories  are  glories  indeed,  and  are  not  half  appreciated.  The  delicate 
Japonica  receives  far  more  attention  than  its  coarser  parent,  but  it  is 
infested  with  bugs,  which  make  it  a  nuisance,  while  none  dare  as  yet  to 
molest  my  "  Glories." 

We  pay  high  prices  for  exotic  vines  and  climbing  roses,  and  let  the 
lovely  vines  of  our  own  woods  remain  uncultivated  in  their  wildness. 
There  is  no  country  that  does  not  possess  rarely  beautiful  vines,  which 
well  reward  the  cultivator  with  their  luxuriant  beauty.  They  are 
scattered  from  the  White  Mountains  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  all 
through  the  Western  States  on  to  the  Pacific  Slope. 

Climbing  roses  are  bowers  of  beauty  for  a  few  weeks,  but  after  that 
are  only  briars,  wormy  and  miserable.  There  is  little  beauty  in 
their  foliage ;  it  is  all  compressed  in  their  flowers ;  yet  the  Prairie  Rose 
is  more  commonly  used  to  twine  over  a  verandah,  while  the  Wistaria, 
Jasmine,  Woodbine,  Honeysuckle,  etc.,  are  planted  in  less  conspicuous 
places,  or  not  at  all. 

I  delight  in  Climbing  Roses — do  not  think  I  would  disparage  them — 
but  they  are  far  prettier  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  if  trained  to  pillars 
rather  than  to  piazzas.  Ampelopsis  quinquefolia  (Virginia  Creeper  or 
Five-Fingered  Ivy),  is  a  very  hardy  vine  that  will  withstand  the  coldest 
.New  England  winter.  It  grows  most  rapidly,  and  its  dark  green  foliage, 
which  changes  to  scarlet  and  brown  in  the  Autumn,  makes  it  very 
desirable  for  piazzas,  rustic  arbors,  or  trellis  work.  It  will  cling  to 
brick  walls  as  readily  as  the  English  Ivy ;  it  is  perfectly  free  from 
insects,  and  so  flexible  that  it  can  be  trained  to  any  position. 

Akebia  quinata  is  an  imported  vine  from  Japan,  with  gracefully  cut 
foliage,  and  large  clusters  of  very  fragrant,  chocolate  colored  flowers. 
It  is  perfectly  hardy. 

Aristolochia  Sipho  (or  Dutchman's  Pipe),  is  a  handsome  climber  for 


64:  EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

verandahs ;  its  flowers  resemble  a  short-stemmed  pipe,  are  of  a  brownish 
hue,  and  the  leaves  are  very  large  and  of  a  bright  green.  It  requires  a 
rich  soil  to  grow  well. 

Bignonia  radicans  (or  Trumpet  Creeper),  is  a  very  showy,  robust 
plant,  and  produces  a  profusion  of  reddish-orange  flowers.  It  is  well 
adapted  to  plant  against  old  trees,  or  to  cover  unsightly  walls. 

Bignonia  grandiflora  is  fine  for  pillars  or  trellises,  being  of  a  more 
graceful  habit  than  the  radicans. 

Bignonia  Venusta  is  a  very  beautiful  half-hardy  climber,  but  requires 
age  to  perfect  its  blossoms,  which  are  of  a  beautiful  orange  scarlet.  For 
the  Southern  States  it  is  unsurpassed  in  beauty,  but  for  the  Northern 
it  needs  the  protection  of  a  greenhouse. 

Jasminum  nudiflorum  (or  Carolina  Jessamine),  is  tender  north  of 
Maryland,  but  is  one  of  the  most  attractive  vines  in  the  United  States. 
Its  plentiful  yellow  flowers  are  rarely  fragrant,  and  it  grows  in  profusion 
all  through  the  South,  turning  its  luxuriant  branches  among  the  forests. 
No  matter  whether  it  is  located  in  the  piney  barrens,  or  the  rich  swamp 
larids,  it  is  a  bower  of  beauty. 

Celastrus  scandens  (or  Bitter-sweet),  is  a  very  attractive  climber, 
particularly  in  the  Autumn,  when  its  orange  berries  are  very  handsome. 
The  scarlet  seed-covers  are  surrounded  with  orange-colored  capsules, 
which  open  as  the  seeds  become  ripe,  and  make  it  very  ornamental.  It 
twines  so  close  to  the  trees  that  it  will  frequently  choke  out  the  life  of 
young  saplings.  In  Massachusetts  it  is  called  Roxbury  Wax  Work.  It 
grows  abundantly  all  through  New  England,  and  bears  transplanting 
and  cultivating  with  good  effect. 

Cocculus  Carolinus  is  a  native  of  the  Carolinas,  and  has  bright  red 
fruit,  resembling  the  common  currant. 

Of  Honeysuckles  (or  Loniceras),  we  have  a  numerous  variety.  The 
scarlet  or  coral  species  are  well-known,  and  the  fragrant  pink  and  white 
monthly  is  very  popular.  Of  late  years  different  varieties  have  been 
imported  from  China  and  Japan,  which  are  very  desirable.  Among  the 
Chinese,  the  Golden  Leaved  Lonicera  is  one  of  the  finest.  It  is  a  rapid 
grower,  with  small  wiry  stems,  the  foliage  is  netted  with  gold,  the  flowers 
are  white  and  very  fragrant. 

Lonicera  Halliana  is  evergreen ;  its  flowers  pure  white,  turning  to 
yellow ;  perfectly  hardy,  and  flowers  monthly  in  profuse  clusters. 

Lonicera  brachypoda,  or  Japan  Honeysuckle,  is  a  very  beautiful  vine; 


EVERY  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER.         65 

its  flowers  are  of  the  most  delicious  fragrance,  and  there  is  no  hardy 
vine  that  can  excel  it ;  its  leaves  are  evergreen,  and  very  glossy. 

The  Clematis  are  rapid  growers,  the  native  varieties  flowering  in 
August  when  other  vines  are  not  always  in  beauty.  Great  improvements 
have  been  made  in  them  by  the  English  florists,  and  there  are  no  love- 
lier vines  for  piazzas  and  verandahs.  The  following  are  the  most 
prominent  of  the  cultivated  varieties,  flowering  from  June  onward : 

Clematis  Fortuni  has  very  large,  double-white  flowers. 

Clematis  Jackmanii  is  a  profuse  bloomer,  with  large,  violet-colored 
blossoms. 

Clematis  Standishii  is  blue,  and  flowers  finely. 

Clematis  Rubella  has  rich  purple  blossoms. 

All  of  these  varieties  are  new  hybrids,  and  cannot  fail  to  give  satis- 
faction to  the  cultivator. 

Hedera  helix  (or  English  Ivy),  is  the  most  popular  of  evergreen  vines, 
and  very  suitable  for  covering  rock  work,  fences,  walls,  trees  or  arbors. 
It  adheres  readily  to  a  tree  or  to  stone,  but  does  not  take  as  kindly  to 
brick,  requiring  some  slight  support,  frequently  to  keep  it  attached  to 
the  walls.  It  is  much  used  for  covering  houses,  but  in  climates  where 
it  will  live  throughout  the  year  it  is  unequaled  for  a  bordering  to  flower 
beds.  Grass  will  force  its  tiny  roots  into  the  borders,  but  the  Ivy  is 
contented  to  twine  its  branches  along  the  edges.  A  quantity  of  strong 
young  plants  are  desirable  to  commence  with,  and  they  should  be  planted 
rather  thickly  and  kept  well  mingled  together.  In  the  Summer,  their 
fresh  green  leaves  contrast  perfectly  with  the  darker  foliage,  and  all 
through  the  winter  their  verdure  is  pleasing.  Such  edgings  form  a 
beautiful  setting  for  flowers,  while  they  are  so  charming  as  to  make  it 
desirable  to  cultivate  the  "  dainty  plant"  for  its  own  worth. 

After  the  edging  has  once  become  established,  by  pinching  off  and 
cutting  back  the  young  shoots,  it  can  be  easily  kept  in  perfect  order. 
Nearly  every  courtyard  in  Paris  displays  the  English  Ivy,  either  cover- 
ing trellises  as  a  dark  background  to  brilliant  thickets  of  Geraniums,  or 
trained  over  a  bower. 

The  plants  are  grown  in  large  boxes,  filled  with  a  rich  turfy  soil,  and 
thus  supplied  they  make  rapid  growth.  At  the  French  Exposition,  the 
garden  was  filled  with  all  that  was  richest  and  rarest,  yet  Mr.  Robinson 
tells  us,  in  his  book  upon  "  French  Gardens,"  that  a  pretty  circular 
bower  covered  with  Ivy  attracted  first  the  attention  of  every  passer-by. 
5 


66         EVERY  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER. 

It  was  composed  of  a  wire  frame,  shaped  like  an  umbrella,  with  the 
handle  inserted  in  a  huge  tub  of  very  rich  earth,  in  which  the  roots 
were  planted.  Boards  were  laid  over  the  tub,  which  formed  a  circular 
seat,  and  with  these  simple  means  a  most  lovely  bower  was  produced. 
The  Ivy  was  trained  so  as  to  -  cover  every  part  of  it,  and  entirely  shade 
the  seat.  Any  ingenious  boy  could  make  a  similar  one,  and,  with  proper 
appliances,  some  girls  could  accomplish  it. 

As  a  screen,  this  plant  is  in  great  demand  in  France,  and  entire  garden 
walls  are  often  covered  with  it,  making  a  most  perfect  background  for 
the  brilliant  hues  of  the  flowers. 

Those  of  us  who  live  in  colder  climates  could  substitute  the  German 
Ivy  for  edgings.  I  tried  it  last  season,  and  it  grew  beautifully,  but  it 
will  winter  kill.  An  old  umbrella  frame,  stripped  of  its  dilapidated 
covering,  will  make  a  fine  trellis  for  delicate  vines  like  the  Canary  Bird 
Elower,  Thunbergia,  Maurandya,  and  Cypress  Vine. 

Sharpen  the  handle  to  a  point,  and  fix  it  firmly  in  the  ground,  pressing 
in  the  ivory  tip  of  each  end,  so  that  the  wind  cannot  disturb  it.  It  will 
look  prettily  on  the  lawn,  or  in  the  center  bed  of  the  garden,  when  the 
graceful  twining  vines  have  covered  it  with  their  beautiful  flowers  and 
foliage,  and  almost  every  garret  can  furnish  the  skeleton,  if  the  closet 
cannot  provide  one. 

A  worn-out  sunshade  will  make  a  baby  trellis  that  will  be  very 
charming,  when  covered  with  the  gorgeous  hues  of  the  Tropaeolum, 
which  should  not  be  neglected  in  a  chapter  upon  Vines.  They  grow 
readily  from  seed,  and  their  butterfly-colored  flowers  are  always  beautiful. 
If  branches  are  broken  off  in  the  Autumn,  and  put  into  vases  filled  with 
water,  the  flowers  will  bloom  for  a  long  time ;  the  roots  starting  out  at 
each  joint  will  furnish  a  support  for  them. 

Coba&a  scandens  is  a  rapid  growing  vine,  with  large  purple  bell- 
shaped  flowers.  It  is  not  hardy  in  the  Northern  States,  but  can  be  kept 
in  pots  during  the  Winter,  and  will  twine  over  the  windows. 

Cobsea  scandens  variegata  is  like  the  former,  only  its  leaves  are 
margined  with  yellowish-white.  If  planted  in  rich  soil,  these  vines  can 
be  made  to  grow  thirty  feet  in  a  season. 

Glycine  Sinensis  (or  Chinese  Wistaria),  is  a  very  elegant  vine  of  quick 
growth ;  it  has  long,  pendulous  clusters  of  pale  blue  flowers  both  in  the 
Spring  and  Autumn,  and  will  soon  cover  a  large  surface. 

Wistaria  Sinensis  Alba  is  a  white  variety,  not  so  robust  as  the  blue. 


EVERT  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  67 

Wistaria  Frutescens  (or  American  Glycine),  is  more  of  a  dwarf  habit 
than  the  above-mentioned. 

Passiflora  Incarnata  (Half  Hardy  Passion  Vine),  is  very  beautiful. 
Its  flower  is  supposed  to  represent  the  Crucifixion  of  Christ,  and  thence 
its  name. 

Periploca  Grseca  (Virginia  Silk  Vine),  is  another  native  climber  that 
deserves  attention,  in  preference  to  many  that  are  tender.  It  is  a  hardy 
grower,  and  will  soon  cover  an  arbor  or  wall.  A  native  of  Syria. 

Care  and  attention  must  be  given  to  the  training  and  fastening  of  all 
climbers,  as  their  beauty  is  greatly  injured  by  allowing  them  to  grow  in 
a  wild  and  neglected  manner ;  it  also  gives  a  wild  look  to  a  house,  which 
does  not  add  to  its  general  appearance. 

Wherever  there  is  an  unsightly  fence,  there  is  the  opportunity  to  try 
your  hand  at  cultivating  vines  which  grow  wild  in  your  woods,  or  which 
can  be  raised  from  seeds  at  a  trifling  expense.  Wreath  all  such  places 
with  climbing  vines,  and  let  their  ugliness  be  hid  under  the  delicate 
foliage  and  brilliant  flowers  of  the  climbers.  Your  wood,  brick,  or 
stone  houses  are  bare  in  their  angular  outlines,  and  lack  the  graceful 
elegance  which  ornamental  vines  will  give  them.  Twine  over  them  some 
climbing  plant,  and  architecture  and  nature  will  combine  to  produce 
the  most  picturesque  effect ;  and  you  will  learn  that — 

"  The  flowers  in  silence  seem  to  breathe 
Such  thoughts  as  language  cannot  tell.'* 

And  when  the  outside  is  beautiful,  let  the  inside  be  replete  with 
comfort,  order,  taste,  virtue,  peace,  good-will  and  love. 

The  following  diagrams  will  furnish  designs  for  supports  for  Orna- 
mental Vines.  They  can  be  made  from  six  to  eight  feet  high.  The 
center  piece  of  each  trellis  should  be  thicker  than  the  outer  or  main 
supports,  at  least  three-quarters  of  an  inch  thick,  and  from  an  inch  to 
an  inch-and-a-half  wide.  These  frames  should  be  painted  green  or 
white,  according  to  one's  preference. 


68  EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 


ElG.   1. 


FIG.  2. 


FIG.  3. 


FIG.  4. 


FIG.  5.  FIG.  6. 


OHAPTEE  X. 


ORNAMENTAL  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  LAWN. 

"  Thank  God  for  the  beautiful  Flowers 

That  blossom  so  sweetly  and  fair  ; 
They  garnish  this  strange  life  of  ours, 

And  brighten  our  paths  every  where  ; 
They  speak  of  the  heaven  above  us, 

Where  angels  are  singing  His  praise, 
Where  dwell  the  dear  ones  who  love  us, 

Who  faded  from  earth's  thorny  ways." 

Shrubs  are  indispensable  in  the  smallest  collection  of  plants.  Many 
of  them  are  early  risers,  and  bloom  as  soon  as  the  frost  and  ice  have 
disappeared.  Once  obtained  and  planted  out  in  good,  rich  soil,  they 
require  but  little  attention,  and  will  bloom  for  years  in  the  same  locality. 
Yet  their  foliage  and  flowers  will  be  more  luxuriant  and  beautiful,  if 
they  are  treated  to  a  few  shovelsful  of  compost  or  manure,  yearly.  If  it 
is  given  to  them  in  the  autumn,  it  acts  as  a  protection  from  the  frost, 
and  can  be  dug  into  their  roots  early  in  the  spring.  When  they  are 
first  planted,  it  is  better  to  take  the  autumn  rather  than  the  spring  for 
the  operation ;  but  if  done  in  March  or  April  (according  to  the  climate), 
be  sure  to  mulch  the  roots  with  long  stable  litter,  or  a  few  inches  deep 
of  hay ;  this  will  keep  them  from  drying  up  during  the  heat  of  summer. 

The  Flowering  Almond  takes  first  rank,  because  it  blooms  so  early, 
and  though  very  common,  is  always  popular.  If  it  is  neglected  it  will 
grow  ill-shaped  and  scraggy,  but  if  it  is  cut  back  as  soon  as  its  blossoms 
are  fallen,  its  increased  growth  will  soon  repay  their  sacrifice. 

The  Flowering  Plum  is  called  by  some  the  White  Flowering  Almond, 
and  is  equally  hardy,  its  flowers  being  as  double  as  those  of  the  Almond, 
and  of  a  snowy  whiteness. 

The  Lilac  is  always  admired,  will  always  be  cultivated ;  every  house 


70  EVERY    WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

must  have  at  least  one  or  more  of  these  shrubs.  The  purple  variety  is 
seen  everywhere ;  the  white  is  not  quite  as  common,  and  is  not  as  sick- 
ishly  sweet  as  the  purple. 

The  Persian  and  Chinese  Lilacs  are  more  beautiful  than  the  common 
kinds.  The  former  is  a  small  tree  of  graceful  habit,  and  its  flowers  are 
of  a  lighter  lilac  color.  The  latter  is  especially  desirable,  the  flowers 
are  much  darker  than  the  other  varieties,  and  its  foliage  is  of  a  dark 
glossy  green,  very  rich.  These  shrubs  are  perfectly  hardy,  and  are 
usually  grown  without  any  care,  yet  if  pruned  and  manured  their  beauty 
will  be  much  increased. 

Cydonia  Japonica,  or  Scarlet-flowered  Japan  Quince,  is  also  a  well- 
known  shrub,  producing  quantities  of  the  richest  scarlet  flowers  close 
to  its  branches;  it  is  indispensable  in  every  garden. 

Caly  can  thus  floridus,  or  Allspice  Flower,  is  an  old  favorite,  not  so  often 
cultivated  in  these  latter  days.  Its  foliage  is  of  a  light  glossy  green,  and  its 
flowers  are  of  the  darkest  maroon,  and  very  fragrant;  both  blossoms 
and  branches  possess  a  strong  spicy  flavor,  and  it  is  sometimes  called  the 
Strawberry  Shrub,  from  a  fancied  resemblance  to  the  odor  of  that  berry. 

Forsythia  viridissima  is  one  of  the  earliest  of  all  shrubs  in  blossoming ; 
its  bright  golden-lined  flowers  appear  before  the  leaves  are  hardly  visi- 
ble, and  completely  cover  the  branches. 

Flowering  Acacia,  with  its  profusion  of  pink  and  white  pea-shaped 
blossoms,  is  always  welcome.  Its  foliage  is  deeply  serrated  like  the 
Locust  leaves ;  its  habit  is  straggling,  which  detracts  from  its  beauty. 

Hydrangea  quercifolia,  or  Oak -leaved  Hydrangea,  has  strongly  marked 
foliage,  and  its  blossoms  are  in  large  panicles  of  white  flowers.  It  blooms 
in  July,  and  is  a  great  attraction  on  a  lawn. 

Hydrangea  deutziafolia  is  a  recent  importation  from  Japan.  Its 
leaves  resemble  those  of  the  Deutzia ;  it  blooms  in  August,  bearing  very 
large  panicles  of  snowy  white  flowers,  which  change  to  pink,  and  finally 
to  a  brownish  purple.  It  is  a  valuable  addition  to  a  garden  or  lawn. 

The  Deutzias  are  generally  cultivated,  and  are  always  beautiful. 

Deutzia  gracilis  is  perfectly  hardy,  and  has  plentiful  clusters  of  pure 
white  flowers.  Deutzia  scrabra  is  of  larger  growth,  often  attains  to  five 
or  six  feet,  and  is  covered  with  clusters  of  blossoms,  which  resemble  the 
Orange  flower  without  its  fragrance. 

Deutzia  crenata  flore  pleno  produces  double  flowers,  white  in  the 
center,  and  red  in  the  outer  leaves.  It  is  of  a  strong  habit,  desires  plenty 


EVERY    WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  71 

of  room  to  grow  in,  and  will  often  be  seen  over  six  feet  high,  and  when 
in  flower  is  "  a  thing  of  beauty."  All  these  species  of  Deutzias  are 
hardy,  but  at  the  far  north  require  a  little  protection  in  winter. 

Mahonia  Aquifolium  is  an  elegant,  evergreen  shrub.  Its  foliage  is 
evergreen,  and  of  a  dark  rich  purplish  green.  Its  flowers  are  bright 
yellow,  and  appear  early  in  the  spring. 

The  Privet  or  Prim  is  also  desirable,  its  foliage  is  attractive,  and  its 
small  clusters  of  white  flowers  add  much  to  its  beauty. 

Philadelphia  inodorus,  or  Mock  Orange,  is  a  more  delicate  species  of 
the  Syringa.  It  bears  large,  pure  white  flowers  with  rich  yellow  stamens, 
along  its  slender  stems,  covering  the  shrub  with  a  wealth  of  bloom. 
It  will  grow  eight  feet  high,  and  blossoms  in  June. 

The  Wiegelas  are  well  established  favorites,  and  deservedly  so ;  for  their 
brightly  colored  flowers,  intermixed  with  the  glossy  green  foliage, 
produce  a  fine  effect  either  in  the  flower  bed  or  on  the  lawn. 

Wiegela  nivea  produces  pure  white  flowers,  very  beautiful  for  large 
bouquets  and  vases. 

Wiegela  rosea  bears  apple-blossom  colored  flowers,  blending  pink  and 
white  in  a  lovely  intermingling. 

Wiegela  alba  has  white  flowers,  which  change  to  a  pale  rose  tint. 

Spirseas  are  of  a  most  numerous  family.  The  florists  have  cultivated 
them  with  great  success,  and  wherever  the  Lilac  and  the  Syringa  flourish 
they  will  grow  and  bloom  in  perfection. 

Their  flowers  are  of  various  shades  of  color,  from  pure  white,  white 
tinged  with  pink,  yellowish  white,  purple  rose,  lilac,  pink,  etc. 

Spiraea  salicifolia  grows  from  two  to  five  feet  high ;  is  white,  tinted 
with  rose,  and  blooms  in  June  and  July. 

Spiraea  opulifolia,  five  to  seven  feet  high ;  white  flowers,  with  rosy  tint. 

Spiraea  Reevesii,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  its  family,  flowers  in 
June  in  pure  white  clusters. 

Spiraea  Bella,  dwarf;  pink  flowers. 

Spirsea  Japonica  is  also  dwarf,  and  bears  feather  plumes  of  white  flowers 
in  June. 

Tartarian  Honeysuckles  are  large  shrubs  of  much  beauty,  whether 
covered  with  their  pink  or  white  flowers,  or  with  scarlet  berries.  They 
will  grow  from  cuttings  or  seeds,  and  require  little  care.  The  two 
varieties  planted  together  make  a  fine  wall  for  a  garden,  and  serve  as  a 
protection  from  the  north  winds.  There  are  several  shrubs  which  bear 


72  EVERY    WOMAN  HKR    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

brightly-colored  berries,  which  make  them  conspicuous  objects  in  garden 
or  lawn ;  so  in  making  up  a  collection  of  shrubs  we  should  not  forget  them. 

Euonymus,  or  Strawberry  Tree,  is  yery  handsome,  with  its  purple 
flowers,  succeeded  by  brilliant  scarlet  berries  curiously  shaped,  which 
remain  on  the  branches  late  into  the  Autumn.  The  Burning  Bush  is 
the  common  name  for  it  in  many  localities.  A  variety  of  this  shrub  or 
tree  grows  in  most  of  the  Middle,  Western  and  Southern  States. 

Euonymus  atropurpureus,  or  Spindle  Tree,  is  its  proper  title.  It  is  a 
very  beautiful  addition  to  every  lawn.  The  European  Burning  Bush  is 
much  inferior  to  our  native  variety.  The  Broad-Leaved  Burning  Bush 
is  a  native  of  Austria ;  its  botanical  name  is  Euonymus  latifolius,  and 
it  is  not  commonly  grown  in  this  country,  but  is  very  desirable. 

The  Black  Alder  bears  berries  of  a  flame-like  scarlet,  close  to  its 
branches,  and  is  a  beautiful  shrub. 

I  have  endeavored  to  mention  a  few  of  the  flowering  shrubs  that  will 
not  fail  to  give  satisfaction  to  all  amateur  gardeners.  Many  of  them 
are  old-time  flowers,  which  possess  a  charm  to  me,  as  childish  associations 
of  delight  linger  about  them,  and  render  them  doubly  dear. 

The  Rhododendrons  are  extensively  cultivated,  and  greatly  improved 
from  those  which  grow  wild  in  the  Middle  States.  The  English  florists 
have  brought  these  beautiful  shrubs  to  the  highest  state  of  perfection. 

The  Rose  of  Sharon  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  foreign  shrubs.  Its 
blossoms  are  bell-shaped,  and  of  many  mingled  hues.  In  Syria,  Judea 
and  Arabia  it  is  a  sacred  flower,  and  they  have  adopted  it  as  the  emblem 
of  the  Eesurrection.  The  dried  flower  is  placed  by  the  inhabitants  of 
Judea  in  a  vase  of  water  beside  the  beds  of  the  sick ;  if  it  expands,  the 
omen  is  favorable,  but  if  not,  death  is  considered  inevitable. 

The  Yucca  Eilamentosa,  rather  a  hardy  herbaceous  plant,  though  a 
shrub,  is  very  ornamental  and  hardy,  its  foliage  resembling  that  of  the  Aloe. 
It  blooms  in  August  and  September,  and  the  flower  stem  rises  to  the  height 
of  five  or  six  feet,  surmounted  with  white,  bell-shaped  flowers.  It  grows  well 
in  common  garden  soil,  and  is  very  desirable  as  a  single  plant  on  the  lawn. 

All  of  these  shrubs  are  most  agreeable  additions  to  every  flower  garden, 
but  if  you  cannot  find  room  for  all,  be  sure  to  select  a  few  of  them,  for 
no  other  plants  will  give  you  as  large  a  supply  of  flowers  with  so  little 
attention  expended  on  them.  Most  of  them  will  readily  grow  from 
cuttings,  all  of  them  will  layer  easily,  and  many  of  them  increase  by 
suckers  from  the  roots. 


CHAPTEE  XL 


THE  CARNATION,  AND  PICOTEE  PINKS. 

"  Ye  are  the  Scriptures  of  the  earth, 
Sweet  flowers,  fair  and  frail ; 
A  sermon  speaks  in  every  bud, 
That  woos  the  summer  gale.'* 

The  Carnation  has  been  cultivated  from  time  immemorial  in  Europe, 
and  from  Gerard,  the  herbalist  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  time,  we  learn  some 
of  its  quaint  old  English  names,  such  as  "  Sops  in  Wine "  (very  expres- 
sive of  the  variegated  red  and  white  flower),  "  Pagaiants,"  "  Horseflesh," 
"  Blunkets,"  etc. 

The  most  common  varieties  of  the  Carnation  sprung  from  the  Clove 
Gilliflower,  or  Clove  Pink,  and  in  former  days  was  much  used  to  distil 
Clove  Gilliflower  Water,  which  was  in  great  repute  as  a  restorative. 
The  florists  divide  them  into  three  classes  now — flakes,  bizarres  and 
picotees. 

The  flakes,  on  a  pure  yellow  or  white  ground,  have  only  one  color, 
disposed  in  broad  flashes  or  stripes,  and  extending  the  length  of  the 
petal. 

The  bizarres,  on  a  pure  white  or  yellow  ground,  have  two  or  more 
colors  in  irregular  stripes  of  pink,  or  scarlet  and  purple,  sometimes 
running  from  the  base  to  the  margin  of  the  petal,  sometimes  broken 
irregularly  into  spots. 

The  Picotee  was  formerly  spotted  with  purple,  red  or  scarlet  spots,  on 
a  white  or  yellow  ground;  modern  improvements  have  changed  its 
character ;  it  is  no  longer  a  spotted  carnation,  but  one  with  the  colorings 
confined  to  a  bordering  of  each  petal. 


74:  EVERT  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

Each  of  these  three  classes  are  sub-denominated  according  to  their 
colors,  as  scarlet-flake,  pink-flake,  scarlet-bizarre,  etc.,  etc. 

The  stripes  or  spots  in  Carnations  are  usually  in  shades  of  scarlet, 
pink  and  purple,  on  a  white,  pink,  red  or  yellow  ground. 

The  word  "  Carnation "  is  fully  significant  of  the  flesh-color  which 
characterized  the  original  and  earlier  cultivated  varieties. 

Of  all  the  flowers  that  adorn  the  garden,  whether  they  charm  the  eye 
by  their  beauty,  or  regale  the  sense  of  smelling  by  their  fragrance,  the 
Carnation  may  justly  rank  next  to  the  Rose. 

The  Flemish  weavers,  who  sought  a  refuge  in  England  from  the 
religious  persecutions  of  Philip  II,  and  the  cruelty  of  the  Duke  of  Alva, 
were  renowned  for  their  Carnations,  Eoses,  and  Gilliflowers,  and  they 
introduced  many  of  the  rarest  varieties  of  these  flowers,  often  superior 
to  the  specimens  produced  by  professional  gardeners.  Mr.  Hogg,  a 
celebrated  florist,  and  also  a  writer  upon  Floriculture,  declares  that  "  it 
is  not  every  gardener  who  knows  how  to  grow  a  Carnation,  and  there  is 
not  one  in  ten  whose  assistance  I  would  claim  on  the  most  pressing 
occasion,  and  leave  the  operation  of  layering  to  them  unlocked  after ; 
whereas  I  would  implicitly  trust  it  to  any  weaver,  cobbler  or  barber  who 
had  had  the  least  practice  with  his  own  flowers." 

There  is  hardly  any  plant  grown  by  florists  to  which  they  consider  a 
congenial  soil  is  of  so  much  importance.  It  should  be  composed  of  one- 
half  rotten  horse  manure,  not  less  than  a  year  old;  that  which  hag 
been  used  in  a  hot-bed  is  just  the  article  for  composing  the  soil  for 
Carnations.  Add  to  it  one-third  fresh  loam,  and  one-third  coarse  river 
sand.  If  these  ingredients  are  mixed  together  in  the  Autumn,  and 
allowed  to  freeze,  and  in  the  Spring  are  thoroughly  mixed  up,  a  good  com- 
post will  be  obtained.  Those  of  our  readers  who  live  near  a  florist  had  bet- 
ter buy  the  compost  for  their  plants.  Large  piles  of  it  are  always  kept  on 
hand,  and  sold  cheaply.  It  is  better  to  supply  the  soil  for  all  pot  plants 
in  this  way.  Carnations  are  propagated  by  seed,  layers  and  cuttings. 

The  seed  should  be  sown  in  April  or  May,  in  pots  filled  with  rich 
compost,  and  a  little  fine  sand,  barely  sufficient  to  cover  them,  sprinkled 
over  the  seeds.  As  soon  as  the  young  plants  are  three  inches  high,  they 
should  be  planted  out  into  a  bed  of  rich  soil.  They  will  not  bloom 
until  the  following  Summer,  but  the  plants  can  be  protected  in  cold 
climates  by  laying  sods  of  grass  over  them,  or  by  keeping  the  plants  in 
the  cellar  in  boxes. 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  75 

The  best  time  to  layer  is  when  the  plant  is  in  full  bloom,  which  will 
be  about  the  middle  of  July,  or  according  to  the  season.  The  shoot  to 
be  layered  may  be  four  or  five  joints  in  length ;  all  the  lower  leaves  next 
to  the  root  must  be  stripped  off,  leaving  only  those  on  the  two  or  three 
upper  joints.  The  surface  of  the  soil  should  be  stirred  up  to  the  depth 
of  an  inch;  then  take  the  shoot  in  the  finger  and  thumb  of  the  left 
hand,  and  bend  it  upwards,  so  that  the  knife  can  enter  a  quarter  of  an 
inch  below  the  second  or  third  joint  from  the  top,  and  on  the  side  of 
the  shoot  next  the  ground ;  cut  upwards  through  the  center  of  the  joint, 
slantingly  for  about  half  an  inch.  Now  cut  off  the  tip  of  the  portion 
underneath  close  to  the  joint.  If  it  breaks  off  it  is  worthless  as  a  layer, 
so  handle  it  very  carefully,  and  lay  the  shoot  into  the  soil,  pegging  it 
down  with  a  large  hair  pin.  The  root  fibres  are  soonest  formed  when 
the  joint  is  but  lightly  covered  with  earth,  not  more  than  a  quarter  of 
an  inch.  No  more  of  the  stem  of  the  layer  than  just  close  to  the  joint, 
nor  any  of  the  leaves  should  be  buried  in  the  soil,  for  the  dampness  will 
cause  them  to  decay,  and  the  whole  layer  will  then  damp  off  or  decay. 

When  the  layer  is  pegged  down,  give  it  a  gentle  watering,  taking  care 
not  to  wash  off  the  soil. 

It  is  of  no  consequence  if  the  layer  does  not  stand  straight  at  first. 
It  will  soon  grow  so. 

If  the  plants  are  kept  moist,  and  well  shaded  from  the  noonday  heat, 
the  layers  will  be  rooted  in  three  or  four  weeks.  They  should  then  be 
cut  away  from  the  plant,  with  about  half  an  inch  of  the  stem  which 
connects  them  to  it,  and  planted  in  five-inch  pots. 

Great  care  must  be  taken  not  to  injure  the  tiny  roots,  nor  break  the 
part  of  the  stem  above  the  incision. 

)  a  raising  Carnations  from  cuttings,  good  healthy  shoots  should  be 
seL  cted,  and  they  should  be  treated  as  described  for  other  cuttings. 

Layering  and  raising  from  cuttings  are  the  surest  modes  of  propagating 
fine  varieties.  It  is  said  that  the  chance  of  obtaining  a  good  Carnation 
from  seed  is  one  to  a  hundred. 

The  culture  of  the  Picotee,  or  Paisley  Pink,  is  the  same  as  that  of  the 
Carnation.  The  Picotee  is  the  hardier  of  the  two,  and  will  endure  the 
cold  winters  without  covering,  excepting  at  the  extreme  north. 

When  the  flower  stems  are  ten  or  more  inches  high,  they  should  be 
supported  with  stakes,  and  when  the  flowers  appear,  if  there  is  danger  of 
their  bursting  the  calyx,  and  thus  spoiling  their  symmetry,  it  is  well  to 


76  EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

tie  a  bit  of  colored  worsted  yarn  about  them ;  this  gives  support,  and 
retains  the  leaves  in  place.  Monthly  Carnations  are  the  most  desirable 
of  all  kinds,  as  they  bloom  during  the  winter. 

A  select  list  of  monthly  varieties : — 

Admirable,  creamy  white. 

Astoria,  yellow,  flaked  with  scarlet. 

Attraction,  white,  striped  with  maroon. 

Betsey,  brilliant  scarlet. 

Blondin,  buff  and  rose. 

D'Fontana,  buff,  striped  with  cherry. 

Donadi's  Pride,  white,  edged  with  pink;  fine. 

Edwardsir,  pure  white ;  extra. 

Grant,  rich  crimson,  striped  with  slate  color. 

Grand  Conde,  white,  blotched  with  rose. 

La  Purite,  bright  rosy  pink. 

Ma  Gloire,  sulphur  yellow,  striped  scarlet. 

Queen  of  Whites,  purest  white. 

Eadetzky,  rose  color  with  broad  purple  stripes. 

Star,  carmine,  splashed  with  white. 

Gen.  Von  Moltke,  orange  salmon,  flaked  with  scarlet. 

Eosaline,  bright  buif,  blotched  with  crimson. 

Vaillante,  scarlet  fringed,  dwarf,  profuse  bloomer. 

Welcome,  brightest  red,  perfect  shape. 


CHAPTEE  XII 


HEKBACEOUS  PLANTS,  PEONIES,  PHLOXES,  CHRYSANTHEMUMS, 
DELPHINIUMS,  AND  A  SELECT  LIST  OF  DESIRABLES. 

"  There  is  a  lesson  in  each  flower, 
A  story  in  each  stream  and  bower  ; 
On  every  herb  on  which  you  tread 
Are  written  words  which,  rightly  read, 
Will  lead  you  from  earth's  fragrant  sod, 
To  hope,  and  holiness,  and  God." 

Herbaceous  Plants  are  Perennials,  which  die  down  to  the  roots  every 
winter,  but  in  the  spring,  send  up  fresh  stems  and  blossoms  from  the 
roots,  thereby  furnishing  the  easiest  means  of  adorning  a  garden.  They 
require  but  very  little  care,  as  the  most  of  them  are  hardy,  while  others 
require  a  slight  protection.  The  soil  should  be  kept  in  good  order,  free 
from  weeds,  and  a  yearly  dressing  of  good  compost  will  make  them 
bloom  luxuriantly,  and  some  species  are  so  vigorous  that  they  will 
continue  to  bloom  annually,  even  in  a  neglected  grass  sod.  Many  of 
them  bloom  early  in  the  season,  as  soon  as  the  Snowdrop.  Crocus  and 
Hyacinth  have  passed  away;  and  by  a  judicious  selection,  a  profuse  and 
gorgeous  supply  of  flowers  may  be  obtained  from  a  bed  of  tfyese  plants, 
until  the  garden  is  brilliant  with  the  brightly  tinted  Annuals,  etc. 

A  list  of  the  most  desirable  of  these  plants  will  be  given,  with  their 
time  of  flowering;  but  I  must-  first  call  your  attention  to  the  Herba- 
ceous Pseonies,  which  form  a  large  family  of  most  beautiful  flowers, 
some  of  which  are  indispensable  in  the  smallest  collection  of  plants. 


78  EVERY  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

Herbaceous  Pceonies. 

The  common  red  Paeony,  or,  as  it  is  usually  called  in  the  old-fashioned 
parlance  among  those  of  an  older  generation,  Piny,  used  to  grow  in 
every  country  garden ;  its  large  and  brilliant  red  flowers  rendering  it 
very  conspicuous,  and  delighting  all  lovers  of  gorgeous  colorings.  Well 
do  I  remember  the  furore  caused  among  amateur  florists  by  the  intro- 
duction of  a  white  Pasony,  and  every  one  must  have  a  root  of  it,  to 
contrast  with  their  fiery-red  flowers. 

Then  the  fragrant  pink  variety  was  introduced  and  much  admired ; 
and  for  many  years  no  other  novelty  appeared  in  their  ranks ;  but  the 
English  and  French  florists  were  busily  engaged  in  cultivating  these 
flowers,  and  now  over  one  hundred  varieties  are  given  in  the  catalogues, 
and  described  as  distinct  in  shape,  hue,  time  of  flowering,  etc. 

The  Pseony  is  very  showy  when  planted  by  itself,  yet  when  grown  en 
masse,  the  effect  is  truly  magnificent.  The  darkest  shades  should  be 
arranged  in  the  center  of  the  bed,  and  the  colors  shaded  out  to  pure 
white ;  thus  planted,  a  beautiful  show  can  be  obtained. 

Alba  Plenaia,  very  double  flower,  white. 

Whitleyi,  older  variety,  very  fragrant,  white  with  yellow  center. 

Virginalis,  of  the  purest  white. 

Baron  Rothschild,  flower  large,  pale  rose. 

Queen  Victoria,  rose  color. 

Amabilis,  outer  petals  rose  color,  and  the  inner  a  delicate,  creamy  white. 

Festiva,  white,  shaded  to  carmine  red  in  the  center. 

Ale  leans  Plena,  rosy  pink,  and  blooms  early  and  late 

Maiden's  Blush,  fine  and  large,  bright  pink. 

Duchesse  d'Orleans,  outside  petals  violet-rose,  and  deep  salmon  buff 
at  the  center. 

Pomponia,  of  a  purplish  pink,  with  salmon  colored  center 

Pattsii,  very  rich,  darkest  purplish  crimson. 

Duchesse  de  Nemours,  rosy  lilac. 

Tenuifolia,  funnel-shaped  leaves,  flowers  deep  crimson 

Pompadoura,  dark  crimson,  inner  petals  delicately  cut. 

Rubra  Striata,  richest  rosy  crimson. 

The  Moutan  or  Tree  Paeonies  are  very  beautiful ;  they  are  perfectly 
hardy,  excepting  in  northern  New  England,  where,  to  bloom  in  perfec- 
tion, they  should  be  covered  with  a  barrel  filled  with  leaves.  They  do 
not  die  down  to  the  roots  every  winter,  and  are  more  properly  called  shrubs. 


EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  79 

Phloxes. 

The  beauty  of  these  Herbaceous  Plants  is  not  fully  appreciated. 
They  are  perfectly  hardy,  and  their  brilliant  clusters  of  flowers,  com- 
prising all  colors  from  white  to  crimson  and  purple,  striped  and  mottled, 
have  few  superiors  among  hardy  plants.  They  will  thrive  in  almost  any 
soil,  but  enjoy  fresh  loam,  and  new  quarters  every  two  or  three  years. 
They  increase  rapidly  from  the  roots,  will  also  grow  easily  from  cuttings 
or  layers. 

Select  list  of  varieties : — 

Albert  Cameron,  large  white  flower,  with  carmine  eye. 

Alexandrine  Bellet  de  Varenne,  carmine,  with  scarlet  center. 

Augustine  Lierval,  white,  pink  center. 

Chloris,  vivid  red. 

Countess  of  Home,  white,  dark  crimson  center. 

L'Orientale,  amoranth,  large  flower,  extra. 

Madame  Thaman,  rich  carmine,  crimson  center. 

Madame  d' Argent,  rose  colored,  purple  center. 

Madame  Henricq,  velvety  rose,  carmine  eye. 

Mademoiselle  Lemichez,  white,  scarlet  center. 

Monsieur  Audry,  very  bright  red. 

Eoi  Leopold,  striped  rose  and  white,  very  showy. 

Raphael,  rose,  crimson  eye. 

White  Lady,  new,  pure  white,  with  clusters  of  flowers  six  inches  in 
diameter. 

Surpasse  Marie  Belanger,  large,  white,  purple  eye. 

Chrysanthemums. 

These  come  into  bloom  so  late  in  the  season  that  they  are  frequently 
called  the  "  Christmas  flower  " ;  and,  as  they  fill  a  place  occupied  by  no 
other  flower,  should  therefore  be  cultivated  in  every  garden. 

They  are  most  easily  propagated  from  cuttings,  taken  in  August,  or 
from  the  shoots  sent  up  from  the  roots  after  blooming.  They  are  very 
hardy  excepting  at  the  extreme  north,  and  can  be  wintered  there  under 
sods.  Good  specimens  should  have  but  one  stem,  with  short,  thick-set 
branches,  which  may  be  made  to  grow  by  pinching  off  the  end  shoots, 
thus  encouraging  the  side  branches.  They  grow  very  vigorously  in  a 
rich  light  soil. 


80        EVERY  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER. 

There  are  three  varieties  or  species;  the  large  flowered,  most  suitable 
for  out-door  culture ;  the  dwarf  or  Pompone,  which  blooms  beautifully, 
in-doors,  and  their  different  colors  will  form  a  choice  bouquet ;  and  the 
Japan  Chrysanthemums.  All  of  these  species  are  beautiful  objects  in 
the  open  garden  in  November  and  December. 

Large  flowering  varieties : — 

Boule  d'Or,  fine,  large,  golden  yellow. 

Boule  d'Neige,  large,  pure  white. 

Captivation,  light  purple,  splendid. 

Erecta  Superba,  clear  sulphur-yellow. 

Lord  Derby,  deep  purple,  petals  incurved. 

Guernsey  Nugget,  light  yellow. 

Princess  Teck,  creamy  white. 

Prince  Albert,  crimson,  red. 

Queen  of  England,  blush. 

Mount  ^Etna,  fiery  crimson. 

Princess  of  Wales,  purest  white. 

Temple  of  Solomon,  golden  yellow. 

Pompone  or  Liliputian  Chrysanthemums. 

Acton,  golden  yellow. 

Countesse  de  Mons,  pale  rose. 

Iris,  white  tipped  with  rose. 

Sinbad,  light  crimson. 

Mad.  De  Soulangis,  pure  rose. 

Trevenna,  purest  white. 

Eoi  de  Liliput,  maroon. 

Theresita,  fine,  lilac. 

Kagozza,  yellow,  tipped  with  rosi, 

Japan  Chrysanthemums. 

These  flowers  are  novelties,  from  Japan — with  tasselled  or  quilled 
flowers. 

Laciniatus,  is  creamy  white,  fine  for  bouquets  and  vases. 

Mons.  Bonnet,  amber,  fine  large  flowers. 

These  plants  are  of  an  elegant  appearance,  and  by  pinching  off  the 
first  flower  buds,  can  be  made  to  bloom  in  January  and  February. 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER   GARDENER.  81 

Delphiniums,  or  Hardy  Perennial  Larkspurs, 

Are  among  the  finest  of  this  class  of  plants,  and  if  the  seed-pods  are  cut 
off,  will  continue  in  flower  from  July  to  November.  They  will  also 
flower  the  first  year  if  sown  early  in  hot-bed,  and  are  very  desirable 
for  late  blooming.  They  grow  readily  from  seed  or  from  the  increase 
of  the  root.  The  shades  of  blue  are  unsurpassed  by  any  other  flower 
of  similar  color. 

Delphinium  Formosum  is  of  the  brightest  blue  with  a  white  center. 

D.  Mons.  Neuner,  pale  blue. 

D.  Chinensi  Pumilum,  azure  blue. 

D.  Alba,  paper  white. 

D.  Belladonna,  finest  sky  blue. 

A  list  of  Herbaceous  Plants  that  will  give  a  succession  of  flowers. 

Achillea  Millefolium  Rubrum,  deep  red,  one  foot  high,  blooms  from 
June  to  September. 

Achillea  Ptarmica  Plena,  pure  white  double  flowers,  in  bloom  from 
July  to  October. 

Aconitum  Napellus  (Monkshood),  dark  blue;  four  to  six  feet;  June 
to  August. 

Aconitum  Versicolor,  variegated,  blue  and  white ;  three  to  five  feet ; 
July  to  August. 

Arabis  Alpina,  pure  white  flowers,  eight  inches ;  May. 

Asclepias  tuberosa,  orange  colored  flowers;  two  feet;  July. 

Amsonia  salicifolia,  lavender  blue,  in  clusters ;  three  feet ;  June. 

Anemone  Japonica,  purplish  rose;  eighteen  inches;  September. 

Aquilegia  jocunda  (Columbine),  dark  blue,  white  center;  two  feet; 
June. 

Aquilegia  striata,  striped,  blue  and  white. 

Aquilegia  Sibirica,  dark  bluish-black  flowers,  very  double ;  one  foot ; 
June. 

Baptisia  cerulea,  brightest  blue ;  two  feet ;  June. 

Baptisia  alba,  flowers  pure  white ;  two  feet ;  June. 

Bocconia  cordata,  very  showy,  large  foliage,  spikes  of  whitish  flowers ; 
six  to  eight  feet;  July. 

Callirrhoe  involucrata,  trailing  plant  with  bright  crimson  flowers; 
June. 

6 


83  EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

Hollyhocks,  very  double  flowers,  all  colors;  July  to  October. 

Lupinus  polyphyllus,  flowers  of  various  colors,  from  pure  white  to  the 
darkest  purple;  two  to  three  feet;  July. 

Lychnis  albo  pleno,  double,  white ;  a  foot  and  a  half  high  ;  May  and 
June. 

Lychnis  Chalcedonica  pleno,  double,  scarlet;  two  to  three  feet;  June 
and  July. 

Lychnis  Haagena,  all  colors  from  white  to  scarlet. 

Orobus  vernus,  reddish  purple;  one  foot;  April  and  May. 

Papaver  Orientale,  brilliant  scarlet  flowers;  three  feet;  June  and  July. 

Penstemon  grandiflora;  there  are  many  varieties  from  the  Prairies; 
three  feet;  June. 

Phalangium  Liliago,  flowers  pure  white,  in  loose  spikes,  elegant ;  two 
to  three  feet ;  July. 

Saxifraga  crassifolia,  deep  pink,  in  large  clusters ;  six  inches ;  blooms 
early  in  April. 

Scutellaria  Japonica,  deep  purplish  blue ;  eight  inches ;  July. 

Lamium  Maculatum  album  et  Eubrum,  flowers  in  short  round  spikes, 
red  and  white ;  June. 

Zauschneria  Californica,  flowers  of  a  bright  scarlet,  blossoms  in  July ; 
hardy  in  middle  States. 

The  varieties  of  the  Funkia,  or  Day  Lily,  should  not  be  omitted. 
The  common  variety  is  of  a  rare  fragrance,  and  its  flowers  are  produced 
in  large  clusters ;  only  two  or  three  of  the  pure  white  lilies  opening  at 
once.  It  is  perfectly  hardy  in  all  climates.  The  variegated  species  has 
blueish-white  flowers  without  the  delicious  odor  of  the  white  variety. 
Its  leaves  are  prettily  variegated,  and  are  its  chief  attraction. 


CHAPTEE  XIII. 


IMMORTELLES,  OR  EVERLASTING  FLOWERS,  AND  ORNAMENTAL 

GRASSES. 

"  There  is  religion  in  a  flower: 
Its  still  small  voice  is  as  the  voice  of  conscience. 
Mountains  and  oceans,  planets,  suns  and  systems, 
Bear  not  the  impress  of  Almighty  power 
In  characters  more  legible  than  those 
Which  He  hath  written  on  the  tiniest  flower 
Whose  light  bell  bends  beneath  the  dew-drop's  weight." 

No  collection  of  flowers  is  complete  without  some  few  varieties  of 
Immortelles,  or  Everlasting  Flowers.  When  ice  and  snow  abound,  they 
serve  to  brighten  our  in-door  surroundings.  Mingled  with  dried  grasses 
and  branches  of  Arbor  Vitas,  or  some  other  evergreen,  they  make  good 
substitutes  for  their  more  delicate  sisters  who  are  faded  and  gone. 

My  sitting  room  is  always  adorned,  in  the  wintry  season,  with  vases 
of  these  bright  flowers,  which  retain  their  places  until  forced  to  yield 
them  to  the  fragile  flowers  of  the  early  spring. 

So  in  ordering  your  seeds,  don't  forget  to  write  down  an  assortment 
of  these  flowers,  whose  beauty  is  not  evanescent. 

They  are  invaluable  decorations  for  home  and  church,  and  can  be 
made  into  crowns,  crosses  and  bouquets. 

Their  flowers  should  be  gathered  while  in  the  bud;  if  allowed  to 
expand,  they  will  not  be  as  handsome  when  dried.  The  stems  should 
be  tied  together,  and  the  bunches  hung  up  in  a  dark,  dry  closet,  taking 
care  not  to  tie  them  up  in  too  large  quantities,  to  dry  quickly,  else  they 
may  mildew  or  mould.  When  well  dried,  put  away  in  boxes  until 
desired  for  use. 


84  EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

To  save  seeds  from  them,  it  is  best  to  let  the  first  blossoms  remain 
uncut,  and  mature.  When  ripe,  cut  them  off,  and  preserve  until  another 
season. 

These  plants  will  grow  in  any  common  garden  soil.  They  are  not  par- 
ticularly ornamental,  as  their  flowers  are  kept  well  cut  off,  and  it  is  better 
to  plant  a  bed  of  them  among  the  vegetables,  or  in  some  out-of-the-way 
corner,  as  they  will  not  add  to  the  beauty  of  your  flower  beds  or  lawns. 

In  the  large  cities,  quite  a  trade  is  carried  on  in  the  way  of  these 
flowers,  and  thousands  of  them  are  yearly  imported  to  supply  the 
demand  for  crowns  and  crosses  for  the  decoration  of  the  cemeteries. 
At  all  seasons  of  the  year  they  are  appropriate  there,  for  neither  rain 
nor  sun  injures  them,  when  well  dried;,  while  they,  in  their  unfading 
brightness,  fully  corroborate  their  claims  to  the  title  of  Immortelles. 

The  florists'  catalogues  offer  us  a  good  variety  to  select  from,  and  at 
the  head  of  the  list  stand  the  Acrocliniums — perhaps  not  quite  as  beauti- 
ful as  Ehodanthe  Manglesii,  but  easier  of  cultivation,  as  they  are  quite 
hardy,  and  not  as  delicate  in  habit. 

They  grow  a  foot  high,  and  are  of  two  kinds— a  bright  rose  color,  and 
pure  white — each  with  a  yellow  center.  The  flowers  are  fragile  enough 
to  pass  for  "  artificials,"  and  they  have  been  used  in  decorating  ladies' 
hats,  with  good  effect.  Vases  filled  with  them,  and  mingled  with  ani- 
mated oats  and  grasses,  are  very  ornamental.  No  garden  should  be 
without  them. 

Ammobium  alatum  is  a  white  flower,  which  is  very  pretty  in  arranging 
memorial  wreaths  or  crosses. 

Globe  Amaranth,  or  Gomphrena  is  commonly  cultivated.  It  is  found 
in  shades  from  a  bright  orange  to  a  purplish  crimson,  and  pure  white. 
The  flowers  should  be  gathered  as  soon  as  the  colors  are  well  developed. 

Helichrysums  are  very  desirable.  They  are  in  all  varieties  of  color, 
from  the  brightest  yellow,  the  purest  white,  to  the  richest  shades  of  red. 
The  minimum,  or  dwarf  species,  are  the  prettiest  for  wreaths,  etc.  Be 
sure  to  cut  the  buds,  and  they  will  dry  into  perfect  flowers. 

Helipterum  Sanfordi  is  a  later  importation.  Its  flowers  are  of  a 
bright  golden  yellow,  and  grow  in  small  clusters  of  fine  flowers,  making 
an  agreeable  variety.  Another  kind  produces  snowy  white  flowers. 

Khodanthe  is  a  charming  everlasting.  Its  bright,  bell  shaped  flowers 
and  graceful  habit  make  it  an  addition  to  the  flower  beds,  as  well  as  for 
winter  decorations.  There  are  four  varieties. 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER   OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  85 

Ehodanthe  alba  is  of  silvery  whiteness,  and  the  finest  white  Immor- 
telle grown. 

Ehodanthe  atrosanguinea  has  dark  crimson  flowers,  with  a  violet  disc 
or  center. 

Ehodanthe  Maculata  has  larger  blossoms  of  a  bright  rose  color,  tinged 
with  violet  purple,  with  a  yellow  center.  It  is  a  fine  plant  for  window 
gardening. 

Ehodanthe  Manglesii  is  the  oldest  variety.  Its  blossoms  are  rose  col- 
ored, suffused  with  white.  All  these  flowers  are  the  most  desirable  of 
their  kind.  The  silvery  scales  on  the  outside  of  the  flower  contrast 
charmingly  with  the  brighter  colors  of  the  petals. 

Waitzia  aurea  and  grandifiora  have  flowers  of  a  brilliant  gold  color, 
and  produce  a  fine  effect,  when  mingled  with  others.  They  bloom  in 
clusters,  and  if  left  too  long  on  the  plant,  become  dingy  and  discolored. 

Xeranthemums  are  very  easily  cultivated.  The  seeds  vegetate  as 
quickly  as  those  of  the  Aster  or  Balsam.  They  are  of  various  colors, 
and  grow  about  one  foot  high,  blooming  very  freely. 

All  of  these  plants  require  some  space  to  grow  in,  and  the  plants  must 
be  transplanted  at  least  a  foot  apart  to  bloom  advantageously. 

These  Everlasting  Flowers  can  be  dyed  into  various  colors.  Last 
autumn  some  bright  yellow  Helichrysums  fell  into  a  solution  of  borax, 
and  turned  their  petals  to  the  most  glorious  sunset  hue,  with  a  fine 
metallic  lustre.  It  oxydized  the  color,  and  my  vases  are  still  resplend- 
ent with  the  flowers.  I  tried  its  effect  upon  crimson  and  pink  flowers, 
but  it  failed  to  beautify  them,  but  faded  out  all  their  original  brightness. 
The  yellow  flowers  are  of  a  wonderful  golden-scarlet  hue,  rarely  seen  in 
any  flower  that  grows.  Dip  the  flowers  into  a  cup  of  water  into  which 
as  much  borax  as  will  dissolve  has  been  added,  and  see  for  yourself  the 
perfect  shade  of  color.  Family  dyes  can  be  used  to  dye  purple,  scarlet  and 
green,  and  mosses  can  be  thus  prepared  to  arrange  among  the  bright-hued 
flowers,  making  prettier  objects  for  home  adornment  than  can  be  pur- 
chased at  the  shops.  Purple  dye  can  be  made  at  home  from  one  ounce 
of  ground  logwood,  one  tablespoonful  of  powdered  alum,  and  one  pint  of 
soft  water;  boil  for  twenty  minutes;  when  cool,  put  in  the  flowers. 

Yellow  dye  can  be  made  with  one  ounce  of  quercitron  bark ;  same 
proportions  of  alum  and  water  as  above ;  boil  twenty  minutes.  Mix 
indigo  with  the  yellow  dye,  and  a  beautiful  green  is  formed,  which  will 
dye  mosses  or  grasses  perfectly. 


86  EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

Ornamental  Grasses. 

The  varieties  of  grasses  are  almost  innumerable.  There  are  already 
known  and  described  three  thousand  species  in  the  world,  and  in  Amer- 
ica alone  there  are  six  hun-dred.  On  a  small  bit  of  turf,  not  a  foot 
square,  you  may  often  find  five  or  six  different  kinds.  Our  prairies 
abound  in  numerous  varieties — some  radiated,  and  variegated  purple 
and  green,  like  the  peacock's  plumage — others  pinnated  and  feathery,  as 
the  marabout's  plume ;  but  all  exceedingly  beautiful ! 

The  Durva  grass  of  the  Hindoos  is  one  of  the  most  perfect  that  is 
known. 

Sir  William  Jones  remarks  that : — 

"  The  flowers  in  their  perfect  state  afford 'the  loveliest  object  in  crea- 
tion ;  and  when  examined  with  a  microscope,  they  resemble  emeralds 
and  rubies  trembling  in  the  slightest  breath  of  air.  Nor  is  the  Durva 
less  esteemed  for  its  valuable  qualities.  It  affords  the  sweetest  and  most 
nutritious  pasturage  for  cattle ;  and  its  usefulness  and  beauty  induced 
the  Hindoos,  even  in  the  earliest  ages,  to  believe  that  it  was  the  dwelling 
place  of  a  presiding  and  benevolent  nymph,  who  loved  to  listen  to  the 
cropping  of  dewy  herbage  by  flocks  and  herds  in  meadows,  and  beside 
clear  streams.  Poets  feigned  that  looking  forth  from  her  diverging 
spike,  adorned  with  purple  flowers  and  ranged  in  two  close,  alternate 
rows,  wherever  she  presided  blights  and  mildews  were  unknown,  and 
that  the  air  was  loaded  with  fragrance,  as  if  from  bowers  of  balm, 
although  neither  roses,  citrons,  richly  scented  magnolias,  nor  orange 
trees  grew  contiguous." 

The  Veda  celebrates  this  inimitable  grass  in  the  following  sentence 
of  the  A.  E.  harvana: — 

"  May  the  Durva,  which  arose  from  the  waters  of  life,  and  which  hath 
a  hundred  roots  and  a  hundred  stems,  prolong  my  existence  on  earth 
for  a  hundred  years." 

Linnaeus  kneeled  beside  the  northern  holy  grass,  and  thanked  the 
Lord  for  having  made  it.  Paley,  the  great  moralist,  loved  the  grasses, 
and  delighted  in  the  inspection  of  their  tiny  florets.  And  Christ  taught 
us  a  lesson  of  faith  from  them,  saying: — 

"  Wherefore,  if  God  so  clothe  the  grass  of  the  field,  which  to-day  is, 
and  to-morrow  is  cast  into  the  oven ;  shall  He  not  much  more  clothe 
you,  0  ye  of  little  faith?" 


EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  87 

By  grasses  are  meant  all  those  plants  which  have  a  round,  jointed, 
and  hollow  stem,  surrounded  at  each  joint  with  a  single  leaf,  long, 
narrow  and  pointed,  and  whose  seeds  are  contained  in  chaffy  husks. 
This  numerous  family  embraces  even  the  tall  Bamboo  of  India  and  the 
tropical  climates,  which  affords  building  material  for  houses,  furniture 
and  carriages,  and  yet  is  brother  to  the  meadow  fox-tail  grass. 

The  Ornamental  Grasses  are  attracting  more  attention  every  year, 
and  they  are  especially  adapted  to  planting  en  masse,  or  in  single  beds 
on  the  lawn. 

They  are  easily  grown  from  seeds,  which  cost  but  a  trifle.  The  per- 
ennial kinds  are  more  desirable  on  account  of  their  permanency;  but 
there  are  many  annual  and  biennial  species  well  worthy  of  cultivation, 
even  in  the  smallest  garden.  They  add  much  to  the  attractiveness  of 
bouquet  or  vase,  and  are  truly  numbered  among  the  indispensables. 

Andropogon  Argenteum  has  silvery  colored  leaves  and  plumes  of 
flowers ;  is  quite  hardy,  grows  four  feet  high,  and  is  raised  either  from 
seeds  or  the  division  of  its  roots. 

Andropogon  bombycinus  is  a  lovely  novelty ;  with  plumes  covered 
with  silky  hairs  of  a  metallic  whiteness.  It  is  a  hardy  perennial  from 
Persia,  growing  one  foot  high. 

Arundo  donax  versicolor  has  striped  foliage,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  of  grasses.  It  is  not  quite  hardy,  but  should  be  covered  with 
sods,  or  placed  in  a  dry  cellar  during  winter. 

Chloropsis  Blanchardia  is  a  very  elegant  species,  with  rose  colored 
spikes.  It  is  also  tender,  requires  protection  in  a  northern  climate. 

Bromus  brizaeformis  is  a  hardy  species,  with  drooping  panicles ;  grows 
one  foot  high. 

Chascolytrum  erectum  is  also  hardy,  and  very  ornamental ;  is  a  native 
of  Chili ;  grows  eighteen  inches. 

Chloris  myriostachies  is  a  new  variety,  with  velvety  flower  heads; 
hardy ;  grows  three  feet. 

Cyperus  Paramatta  belongs  to  the  sedge  family,  and  is  very  attractive. 

Erianthus  Ravennal  is  one  of  the  most  desirable  species  cultivated. 
It  is  quite  hardy,  and  forms  large  clumps  from  which  the  stems  rise  to 
the  height  of  ten  to  twelve  feet,  and  are  crowned  with  silvery  plumes  of 
twenty  inches  in  length.  A  clump  of  this  beautiful  grass  in  full  bloom, 
is  an  object  of  universal  admiration.  Its  flowers  are  pure  white,  with  a 
silvery  lustre. 


88         EVERY  WOMAN  HER  OWN  FLOWER  GARDENER. 

Gynerium  argenteum  (Pampas  grass),  is  truly  the  "  Queen  of  Orna- 
mental Grasses."  It  must  be  seen  to  be  appreciated.  It  is  tender  in  the 
northern  States,  but  its  roots  can  be  kept  in  boxes  in  the  cellar  during 
winter. 

Panicum  capilaceum  is  hardy,  and  very  rich  in  foliage  of  rosy  hue. 

Pepragmites  communis  grows  commonly  along  the  banks  of  our 
northern  rivers,  but  it  is  beautiful,  and  deserves  a  place  among  its 
foreign  brethren.  Its  spikes  of  flowers  are  covered  with  long,  white, 
silky  hairs. 

Stipa  pennata  (Feather  grass),  is  very  ornamental,  the  seeds  vegetate 
slowly,  and  should  be  started  under  glass. 

Trypsacum  dactyloides  is  a  very  handsome  and  hardy  grass. 

Among  the  annual  varieties  I  should  select — 

Agrostis  retrafracta,  an  extremely  graceful  species ;  a  great  addition  to 
bouquets  and  vases. 

Agrostis  Steveni,  with  beautiful,  feathery  panicles. 

A  vena  sterilis  (Animated  Oats),  with  large  drooping  spikes  of  flowers. 

Briza  maxima  (Quaking  grass),  very  beautiful. 

Briza  geniculata,  dwarf  habit ;  very  graceful. 

Chloris  radiata,  a  curious  variety ;  very  desirable. 

Chloris  truncata,  silvery  plumes. 

Eleusine  barcinonensis,  a  novelty  with  out-spreading  plumes  of 
flowers;  lovely  for  house  culture. 

Hordeum  jubatum  (Squirrel- tail  grass),  lovely  green  and  purplish 
plumes. 

Lagurus  ovatus  (Hare's-tail  grass),  very  pleasing. 

Panicum  variegatum,  one  of  the  most  graceful  and  ornamental  plants 
for  baskets  or  vases. 

Paspalum  elegans,  white  flower. 


CHAPTEE  XIY. 


FOLIAGED  PLANTS. 

"  Oh  !  who  that  has  an  eye  to  see, 
A  heart  to  feel,  a  tongue  to  bless, 
Can  ever  nndelighted  be, 
With  nature's  magic  loveliness." 

Variegated  leaved  plants  are  quite  the  fashion  at  this  time,  and  are 
becoming  more  popular  every  year.  They  produce  a  fine  effect  when 
planted  in  oval  or  circular  beds.  The  furore  for  these  plants  has  pro- 
duced a  great  variety ;  the  whole  world  has  been  searched  for  rare 
specimens,  and  these  have  been  hybridized,  and  greatly  improved.  A 
bed  of  them,  well  arranged  as  to  color,  is  a  most  gorgeous  sight,  equal 
to  any  display  of  flowers. 

A  recent  writer  speaks  of  them  thus : — 

"  Do  not  these  curious  plants,  that  among  their  leaves  of  light  have 
no  need  of  flowers,  resemble  those  rare  human  plants  that  develop  all 
the  beauties  of  mind  and  character  at  an  exceptionally  early  age,  and 
rapidly  ripen  for  the  tomb  ?  They  do  not  live  to  bring  forth  the  flowers 
and  fruits  of  life's  vigorous  prime,  and  therefore  God  converts  their 
foliage  into  leaves,  crowns  the  initial  stage  with  the  glories  of  the  final, 
and  makes  their  very  leaves  beautiful.  By  the  transfiguration  of  His 
grace,  by  the  light  that  never  was  on  sea  or  land,  He  adorns  even  their 
tender  years  with  all  the  loveliness  which  in  other  cases  comes  only  with 
full  maturity." 

A  very  pretty  bed  of  Ornamental  Plants  can  be  sown  from  seed.  In 
the  center,  plant  the  Striped-leaved  Japanese  Corn.  A  foot  from  it  on 


90  EVERY  WOMAN  HER   OWN  FLOWER   GARDENER. 

all  sides,  sow  seeds  of  the  Cannas ;  soak  the  seeds  in  boiling  water  for 
an  hour,  and  pour  boiling  water  on  the  ground  after  the  seeds  are 
planted.  If  planted  about  the  10th  of  May,  they  will  grow  finely. 

For  the  next  row,  sow  Amaranthus  melancholicus,  and  thin  out  the 
plants  a  foot  apart.  Next  to  these  put  the  Silvery-leaved  Cineraria 
maritima ;  and  border  the  whole  with  Perilla  Nankinensis.  A  row  of 
white  Candytuft  could  come  after  the  Perilla,  but  it  must  be  pulled  up  as 
soon  as  its  flowers  are  past,  or  it  will  destroy  the  beauty  of  the  bed. 
Such  a  bed  could  be  obtained  at  a  slight  expense,  not  exceeding  one 
dollar ;  while  for  a  bed  of  Coleus — Achyranthus,  Caladiums,  Cineraria 
Acanthifolia,  Alternantheras,  Centaureas  and  Gnaphalium,  sixty  to 
seventy-five  dollars  is  often  paid.  Of  course,  a  bed  of  the  latter  descrip- 
tion is  far  more  recherche  than  one  of  the  former ;  but  only  those  whom 
Fortune  has  favored,  can  possess  it ;  while  you  and  I  can  delight  our 
eyes  daily  with  the  bed  of  our  own  planting  from  seeds. 

Coleus. 

These  plants  take  first  rank  among  variegated  plants.  Coleus  Vers- 
chaffeltii,  with  rich  crimson  leaves,  veined  with  bronze  and  margined 
with  green,  was  considered  a  rare  wonder ;  but  the  Golden  Coleus  far 
surpass  the  early  varieties.  The  American  and  English  florists  have 
been  very  successful  with  these  lovely  plants.  They  offer  us  this 
year : — 

Beauty  of  Widmore,  olive  green,  stained  with  pink,  white  edge. 

Eclat,  bronzy  crimson,  golden  edge. 

Acis,  crimson,  shaded  carmine,  golden  edge. 

Brilliant,  bronzy  crimson,  broad  golden  margin. 

Model,  pinkish  bronze,  narrow  golden  border. 

Princess  Louise,  reddish  bronze,  light  yellow  edge. 

Golden  Beauty,  dark  crimson,  wavy  and  golden,  fringed  edge. 

Setting  Sun,  rich  bronze  center,  bright  yellow  edge. 

Sunbeam,  bronzy  crimson,  dark  veins,  yellow  margin. 

Unique,  reddish  crimson,  deep  golden  border. 

Of  the  older  kinds  the  most  noted  are : — 

Albert  Victor,  center  purplish  red,  broad  yellow  margin. 

Her  Majesty,  bronzy  red  center,  greenish  yellow  margin. 

Princess  Royal,  center  reddish  bronze,  light  yellow  margin. 

All  of  these  make  fine  bedding-out  plants ;  will  grow  in  any  rich. 


EVERT  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  91 

sandy  loam ;  they  are  very  tender,  the  first  frost  blackens  their  beauty ; 
and  they  require  much  heat  in  the  winter.  A  slight  chill  is  death  to 
them.  I  had  fine  plants  of  several  kinds  last  winter,  but  a  cold  night 
in  December  killed  every  one ;  green-house  culture  is  needful  for  them. 

Achyranthus. 

These  plants  rank  next  to  the  Coleus  in  richness  of  coloring,  and 
beauty  of  veining. 

A.  Acuminata  has  dark  red  leaves,  marked  with  a  salmon-red  midrib, 
and  light  crimson  under-surface.  It  contrasts  charmingly  with  silvery- 
leaved  plants. 

Aureus  Retieulatus  has  light  green  foliage,  veined  with  yellow; 
stems  crimson,  very  effective. 

Achyranthus  Lindenii  is  of  a  bushy  growth,  foliage  rich,  deep  crimson. 

All  of  these  are  very  tender,  but  make  good  house  plants  during  the 
winter. 

A  Uernantheras. 

These  are  dwarf  plants  from  Brazil,  with  leaves  tinted  with  crimson, 
pink,  brown  and  green. 

A.  Amoena,  crimson  shaded  to  pink,  and  amber  brown. 

A.  Amabilis,  orange,  crimson  and  dark  green. 

A.  Leatifolia,  foliage  large,  green,  orange  and  crimson. 

A.  Versicolor,  olive,  crimson  and  chocolate. 

These  varieties  are  all  used  for  edgings,  and  if  they  are  closely  cut, 
the  fresh  growth  assumes  most  brilliant  hues.  They  will  not  outlive 
our  cold  winters  without  protection. 

Caladiums. 

One  of  the  most  beautiful  of  the  Ornamental  Foliaged  Plants  for 
planting  on  the  lawn,  or  as  a  center  for  oval  or  circular  beds.  They 
will  grow  five  feet  high,  with  immense  leaves  of  a  light  green  color, 
beautifully  veined  with  various  colors.  They  are  bulbous  roots,  and 
must  be  taken  up  with  the  first  frosts. 

The  bulbs  should  be  kept  in  sand  in  a  dry  temperature,  not  below  50°. 

Caladium  Chatini,  green  ground,  red  and  white  spots. 

Due  de  Nassau,  clear  red  leaf,  beautifully  shaded. 

Emperor  Napoleon,  brilliant  crimson,  with  rich  blood-red  ribs. 

C.  Houlletii,  spotted  and  veined,  with  various  shades  of  green. 


92  EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

Madame  Houllet,  pink  spots  towards  the  center,  with  white  spots  on 
the  margin. 

0.  Sedeni,  clouded,  green  and  rose. 

0.  Splendens,  rich  crimson,  shaded  to  a  green  margin. 

0.  Verschaffeltii,  green  ground,  with  pink  spots. 

The  oldest  and  best  known  variety  is  the  Caladium  Esculeatum,  the 
leaves  are  of  immense  size,  often  two  feet  long  and  six  inches  broad.  It 
will  thrive  when  the  other  tender  varieties  fail. 


This  class  are  remarkable  for  the  diversity  of  their  markings,  and 
their  rich  crimson  stems  and  edgings.  Some  of  the  leaves  are  of  an 
immense  size,  with  broad  silvery  zones  and  snowy  spots,  which  contrast 
perfectly  with  the  rich  crimson-tinted,  emerald-hued  leaves. 

Begonia  Rex  was  the  first  variety ;  from  it  have  sprung  many  rare  kinds. 

Begonia  Hybrida  Multifl  ora  is  valuable,  especially  for  flowering  during 
the  winter  months,  blooming  almost  continually;  has  small  ovate, 
glossy  leaves,  and  a  profusion  of  gracefully  drooping  racemes  of  rosy 
pink  blossoms. 

Cannas. 

These  are  highly  ornamental  and  effective ;  their  broad,  bright-hued 
leaves  resemble  those  of  the  Banana ;  and  their  flowers  are  produced  in 
racemes  of  scarlet,  crimson,  orange-red,  and  buff.  They  are  tender,  and 
must  be  removed  to  a  dry  cellar  as  soon  as  the  frost  comes.  In  spring 
start  them  in  boxes,  or  in  a  warm  climate,  in  the  open  border.  They 
are  grown  from  seed,  as  directed  in  this  chapter;  but  one  is  not  certain 
of  procuring  the  best  varieties.  The  bulbs  can  always  be  purchased  at 
the  florists  at  a  small  price. 

Atropurpurea  has  fine  dark  leaves,  with  orange-scarlet  flowers. 

Insignis,  leaves  banded  and  rayed  with  purples ;  flowers  reddish-orange. 

Premices  de  Nice,  large  foliage,  bright  yellow  flowers,  spotted  with 
salmon. 

Rubra  Superbissima,  stalks  crimson,  leaves  red,  with  a  metallic  shade, 
flowers  clear  orange-red. 

Nigricans,  leaves  green  with  a  dark  bronze  shade,  flowers  bright  yer- 
million. 

Ne  plus  ultra,  leaves  rich  purple,  flowers  crimson-scarlet. 

Mussefolia,  foliage  large  and  handsome. 


EVERT  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  93 

Silver  Foliage  Plants 

Are  very  desirable  to  plant  in  rows  with  the  brightly  hued  Coleus,  Achy- 
rantnus,  etc. 

Artemisia  Stelleriana  is  a  pretty  dwarf  plant. 

Cineraria  Acanthifolia  has  velvety  white  leaves,  and  is  the  most 
desirable  of  its  kind. 

Centaurea  Gymnocarpa,  very  elegant,  silvery  leaves,  with  narrow, 
pointed  lobes. 

Centaurea  Candidissima  has  snowy  white  leaves,  with  a  frosted 
appearance. 

Centaurea  Clementei  surpasses  all  its  family  in  the  elegance  of  its 
foliage.  Its  young  leaves  are  like  velvet,  and,  when  fully  developed, 
retain  a  silvery  effect. 

Gnaphalium  Lanatum  is  of  a  dwarf,  creeping  habit,  very  desirable  as 
a  bordering. 

Gnaphalium  Tomentosum  has  long,  narrow,  silvery  foliage. 

Glaucium  Corniculatum  has  long,  velvety  leaves,  of  a  silvery  white 
hue ;  leaves  deeply  pinnated ;  flowers  of  bell  shape,  orange  yellow.  It 
is  a  novelty  introduced  last  season,  and  is  much  admired. 

Achyrocline  Saundersonii  is  dwarf  and  densely  branched,  with  pure 
white  leaves. 

Coprosma  Baneriana  Variegata,  a  fine  dwarf  plant,  with  green  oval 
leaves,  flecked  and  veined  with  yellow;  is  a  novelty  from  New 
Zealand. 

Sinclairea  Discolor  has  large,  oval  leaves,  bright  green  on  the  upper 
side,  but  lined  with  a  downy,  snowy  whiteness,  producing  a  fine  effect. 

Wigandia  Caraccasana  is  a  stately,  ornamental  plant,  whose  large, 
bright  green  leaves  are  covered  with  hairy  spines.  Its  flowers  are  of 
rich  purple,  borne  on  a  large  spike. 

Fittonia  Argyroneura  is  lovely  for  vases,  hanging  baskets,  or  ferne- 
ries. Its  leaves  are  of  bright  green,  netted  with  pearly  white  veins. 

Acorus  Gramineus  Variegata  is  also  desirable  for  baskets,  etc.  Its 
narrow,  grass-like  leaves  are  margined  with  bright  yellow. 

Panicum  Variegatum  is  also  a  grass,  striped  with  white  and  rose ;  will 
grow  two  or  three  feet  in  a  season ;  is  very  elegant. 

Abutilon  Thompsonii  is  a  prettily  variegated  shrub,  with  leaves  mar- 
bled with  yellow. 

Sedum  Carneum  Variegatum  is  of  dwarf  growth,  with  lance-shaped 


94  EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

green  leaves,  margined  with  white.     Beautiful  for  rock  work,  but  will 
not  endure  the  winter  of  the  Northern  States. 

I  cannot  close  a  chapter  on  Variegated  Plants,  without  mention 
of  the 

Golden  Bronze  and  the  Silver  Margined  Geraniums. 

This  class  form  most  beautiful  groups  or  beds,  very  effective  either  on 
the  lawn  or  in  the  garden. 

Mrs.  Pollock  is  one  of  the  best  known  of  these  varieties,  but  Lady 
Cullum  surpasses  it  in  the  beauty  of  its  zone. 

Sir  Eobert  Napier  is  said  to  possess  the  handsomest  coloring  of  all. 
Its  zone  is  deeply  indented  with  brilliant  scarlet ;  flowers  flesh  colored. 

Sophie  Dumaresque  has  a  dark  crimson  zone,  with  broad  yellow 
margin. 

Black  Prince,  dark  bronze  zone,  on  a  yellow  ground. 

Beauty  of  Oulton,  broad  yellow  leaf,  with  a  wide  bronze  zone. 

Bronze  Queen,  yellowish  bronze,  with  a  dark  chocolate  zone ;  con- 
trasts perfectly  with  the  silver-edged  varieties. 

Southern  Belle,  golden  yellow  ground,  brilliant  crimson  zone. 

E.  G.  Henderson,  light  yellow  ground,  fine  dark  bronzy  zone. 

Beauty  of  Calderdale,  reddish  brown  zone  on  a  golden  green  ground. 

Crystal  Palace  Gem,  golden  margin,  green  center. 

Perilla,  broad  dark  zone. 

Queen  Victoria,  rich  maroon  zone,  golden  yellow  margin. 

Silver  Margined  Geraniums. 

Cherub,  silver  margined,  carmine  zone,  dwarf. 

Burning  Bush,  sulphur  white,  with  bronze  zone  of  rosy  crimson  tint. 

Beauty  of  Guestwick,  zone  bronze  and  rosy  carmine,  creamy  white 
margin. 

Castlemilk,  pea-green  center,  well  defined  white  edge,  the  whitest  of 
its  class. 

Countess  of  Warwick,  broad  white  margin,  zone  dark  bronze,  banded 
with  pink. 

May  Queen,  fine  broad  silver  edge. 

Kenilworth,  white  margin,  rich  crimson  zone. 

Mt.  of  Snow,  pure  white,  broad  edge. 

Rainbow,  silvery  white  margin,  red  zone. 

Snow  Storm,  fine  white  edge. 


EVERY  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  95 

Italia  Unita,  silver  edge,  dark  zone  shaded  to  carmine. 
Little  Pet.  pink  zone,  silver  edge. 
Snow  Drop,  fine  silvery  white  edge. 
Perfection,  broad  white  margin,  fine. 

Variegated  Ivy-Leaved  Geraniums. 

These  flowers  are  very  lovely,  from  their  drooping  growth,  for  vases, 
rustic  baskets  and  rock  work.  They  grow  readily  from  slips,  are  quite 
tender,  and  must  be  housed  during  the  winter  months. 

L'Elegante  has  deep  pea-green  leaves,  with  a  clear  white  margin  run- 
ning into  pink.  Its  flowers  are  pure  white,  borne  in  large  clusters.  It 
is  unsurpassed  for  ornamental  purposes,  where  vines  are  required. 

Duke  of  Edinburgh  is  beautifully  variegated,  and  of  very  vigorous 
growth. 

Holly  Wreath  has  leaves  of  deep  green,  with  a  creamy  margin,  white 
flowers. 

Peltatum  Floribunda,  leaves  bright  glossy  green,  flowers  of  a  rosy 
pink. 

Fairy  Bells,  rich  green  leaves,  flowers  a  light  blush 

Elegans,  bright  rich  foliage,  mauve  colored  flowers. 

All  these  Variegated  Geraniums  grow  readily  from  cuttings,  and  will 
bloom  in  almost  any  common  garden  soil.  They  show  their  bright 
markings  at  better  advantage  if  located  so  that  they  are  shaded  from 
the  heat  of  the  noonday  sun.  Planted  together,  en  masse,  they  produce 
a  gorgeous  effect.  All  of  them  have  brilliant  colored  flowers,  but  they 
are  not  as  large  and  handsome  as  those  of  the  Zonale  tribe.  If  planted 
on  a  graduated  mound,  with  a  tall  Zonale  or  Double  Geranium  for  the 
apex,  they  show  in  perfect  contrast.  They  require  watering  at  night,  if 
the  season  is  hot  and  dry.  They  can  be  wintered  in  a  warm  window,  or 
placed  in  sandy  soil,  in  boxes,  and  kept  in  a  frost-proof  cellar. 

Of  course  the  leaves  will  fall,  but  the  roots  will  remain  alive,  and  will 
not  require  water  more  than  once  or  twice  all  winter,  unless  they  are 
kept  in  a  warm  place  near  the  furnace  fire ;  but  this  is  not  a  good  loca- 
tion for  them ;  far  better  to  keep  them  in  a  cool,  dark  cellar,  where 
vegetation  can  sleep  quietly. 


OHAPTEE  XV. 


SPRING  FLOWERING  BULBS. 

"  Odors  of  spring,  my  senses  ye  charm! 
Methinks  with  purpose  soft  ye  come, 

To  tell  of  brighter  hours  ; 
Of  May's  blue  skies,  abundant  bloom, 

And  sunny  gales  and  showers." 

In  October  and  November  we  must  plant  the  Spring  Flowering  Bulbs, 
which  are  the  first  flowers  in  the  spring  that  gladden  our  eyes.  As 
soon  as  the  sun's  rays  have  strength  enough  to  pierce  the  stony  ground, 
they  send  up  their  leaves  closely  sheathed  together  to  withstand  the  icy 
touch  of  the  north  wind.  With  the  first  sweet  whistle  of  the  robin,  and 
the  clear  treble  notes  of  the  blue  bird,  they  stand  ready  to  burst  forth 
into  gorgeous  splendor.  The  pearly  white  Snowdrop,  white  as  the 
snow-drift  which  has  nourished  her  buds,  is  the  pale  leader  of  the  glori- 
ously clad  procession  which  follows  the  spring's  footsteps. 

Clusters  of  these  roots  can  be  planted  among  the  grass  nearest  the 
house,  and  early  in  March  and  April  they  will  appear  in  full  bloom. 
They  will  grow  in  any  soil ;  but  will  run  out  if  new  homes  are  not  pro- 
vided for  them  every  three  or  four  years.  They  multiply  rapidly.  The 
great  Snowdrop  is  double  the  size  of  the  common  kind,  but  does  not 
blossom  so  early.  The  small  sorts  can  be  planted  an  inch  apart  and  two 
inches  deep,  but  the  larger  kinds  should  be  planted  five  inches  asunder, 
and  four  inches  in  depth. 

The  Crocus 

Comes  next  in  order,  clothed  in  purple,  yellow  and  white,  lilac  and  blue ; 
striped  and  plain ;  cloth  of  gold  and  cloth  of  silver.     They  are  of  easy 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  97 

culture,  and  increase  rapidly  by  offsets ;  they  can  remain  in  the  ground 
three  years,  but  may  be  taken  up  every  year,  when  their  leaves  have 
become  yellow.  October  is  the  best  season  for  replanting  them,  but 
"November  will  do  in  warm  climates.  They  should  be  planted  two  inches 
deep,  and  an  inch  or  two  apart.  The  new  varieties  are  raised  from  seed. 
These  bulbs  are  perfectly  hardy,  but  will  come  forward  better  in  the 
spring,  if  the  ground  is  covered  with  a  bed  of  leaves  or  evergreen  boughs. 

Among  the  new  varieties  are : — 

Albion,  blue,  striped  with  white. 

Caroline  Chisholm,  purest  white. 

Cloth  of  Gold,  yellow,  striped  with  black. 

Cloth  of  Silver,  white,  striped  with  purple. 

David  Bizzio,  dark  purple. 

Elise,  light,  shaded. 

Ivanhoe,  blue  and  white. 

Ne  plus  ultra,  blue  bordered. 

Miss  Nightingale,  light  striped. 

Queen  Victoria,  pure  white. 

Scotch,  yellow,  with  purple  stripes. 

Sir  Walter  Scott,  pencilled  lilac. 

Van  Speyk,  violet  striped. 

The  Hyacinth. 

This  plant,  though  a  native  of  the  desert,  has  been  domesticated  for 
many  centuries,  and  is  aptly  styled  the  "  Domestic  Flower,"  for  it  is 
dearly  loved  in  many  homes. 

Haarlem  is  the  great  focus  of  bulbous  cultivation ;  its  soil  consists  of 
light  vegetable  mould  mixed  with  sand,  and  under  this  is  a  substrata  of 
sand  which  drains  off  the  heavy  spring  rains.  Florists  of  other  countries 
have  imitated  this  soil,  thereby  producing  as  fine  bulbs  as  can  be  raised 
in  Holland. 

All  new  varieties  are  raised  from  seeds,  but  much  care  and  patience 
are  required,  and  often  not  more  than  six  fine  flowers  will  be  found  in 
a  thousand  seedlings ;  so  it  is  the  best  to  content  ourselves  with  raising 
them  from  the  bulbs,  which  multiply  rapidly  by  offsets,  which  should 
be  planted  out  by  themselves,  in  a  dry,  sunny  location ;  if  they  attempt 
to  flower  the  first  spring,  pick  off  the  buds,  for  the  root  needs  all  its 
strength ;  but  the  next  spring  they  will  flower  well,  and  after  that  can 
be  treated  like  grown-up  bulbs. 
7 


98  EVERT  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

If  the  beds  in  which  the  Hyacinths  and  other  bulbs  have  flowered  are 
needed  before  the  roots  have  fully  matured,  they  can  be  taken  up  and 
laid  in  ridges,  covering  the  roots  with  sandy  earth,  but  leaving  the  stems 
and  leaves  fully  exposed  ta  the  air ;  they  will  soon  decay,  and  the  bulbs 
will  swell  to  full  maturity.     If  the  ground  is  not  required  for  other 
plants,  the  beds  can  remain  for  two  or  three  years  undisturbed,  but 
larger  flowers  are  produced  by  yearly  transplantings.     The  seed-pods 
should  be  broken  off  before  they  have  had  time  to  develop,  as  ripening 
the  seed  would  tend  to  exhaust  the  strength  of  the  bulb,  but  the  leaves 
are  needful  to  prepare  the  pulp  for  maturing  the  bulb  for  another  sea- 
son ;  therefore  they  must  not  be  cut  off  until  they  are  wholly  dried  up. 
When  quite  dry,  separate  the  offsets,  and  place  by  themselves  in  paper 
bags  or  boxes,  and  keep  in  a  dark,  dry  closet,  until  time  to  replant  them. 
Their  roots  will  strike  through  a  mellow  soil,  from  ten  to  even  twelve 
inches ;  therefore  to  raise  the  finest  blossoms,  the  soil  should  be  removed 
at  least  one  foot  in  depth,  and  the  earth  well  broken  up ;  then  spreac 
over  it  a  layer  of  three  or  four  inches  of  leaf  mould,  well  mixed  witl 
sand,  and  fill  up  with  a  compost  of  one-third  well- rotted  cow  manure 
and  two-thirds  sandy  loam,  well  mingled,     If  the  soil  under  the  pine 
trees  of  the  woods  can  be  obtained,  you  will  make  your  bulbs  blossom 
in  perfection ;  it  is  a  dark,  sandy  loam,  excellently  fitted  for  flowering 
all  bulbs.     Scouring  sand,  which  can  be  found  in  nearly  every  kitchen 
is  very  useful  in  planting  bulbs ;  put  a  table-spoonful  into  each  hole,  anc 
set  the  bulb  upon  it.   Plant  in  concentric  circles,  straight  rows,  or  clusters 
and  cover  the  largest  sized  bulbs,  at  least  three  to  four  inches.    A  libera 
top  dressing  of  sand  will  draw  the  sun's  rays  early  in  the  season.    As  soon 
as  the  ground  freezes  hard,  cover  the  beds  with  four  or  five  inches  of  straw 
leaves,  or  coarse  stable  litter;  but  don't  cover  them  too  early,  else  the 
ground  mouse  may  burrow  in  the  warm  bed,  and  feed  upon  your  bulbs 

As  soon  as  the  green  sheathed  leaves  appear,  remove  part  of  the  cover- 
ing, and  press  the  earth  tightly  around  the  bulbs,  else  they  will  crack 
the  earth,  and  let  the  chilling  winds  into  the  roots.  In  ten  days  or  a 
fortnight,  if  the  weather  is  warm,  remove  all  the  coverings. 

The  florists'  catalogues  are  issued  every  autumn,  and  offer  us  a  large 
variety  of  roots  with  high-sounding  names.  In  the  selection  of  bulbs 
choose  those  that  are  compact,  solid,  and  firm  at  the  base  of  the  root 

The  double  varieties  are  usually  the  most  desirable  for  out-door  cul- 
ture, and  they  will  often  cover  at  least  half  of  the  stem  with  lovely  bells, 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  99 

forming  a  compact  cone,  terminated  at  the  top  by  an  upright  flower. 
The  single  varieties  are  better  for  window  gardening,  and  some  of  them 
are  indispensable  to  every  collection. 

A  bed  of  Hyacinths  in  full  bloom  is  a  glory  and  a  joy,  but  in  planting 
them  due  deference  must  be  paid  to  their  height,  and  time  of  blooming, 
or  the  whole  effect  may  be  spoiled ;  and  some  catalogues  properly  men- 
tion, not  only  the  names,  but  the  seasons  and  height  of  the  flowers. 

A  select  list  of  double  and  single  varieties : — 

Double,  Dark  and  Light  Blue. 
Albion,  late,  low. 

King  of  Wurtemburg,  early,  tall,  very  fine 
A  la  Mode,  early,  low,  a  perfect  blue. 
Pasquin,  early,  tall,  a  light  blue. 
Globe  Terrestre,  late,  low,  perfect  flower. 
Laurens  Coster,  low,  early. 
Koning  Ascingaris,  tall,  early. 
Bloksberg,  late,  low. 
Lord  Raglan,  low,  early. 
Eichard  Steele,  low,  early. 

Single,  Blue  of  all  shades, 
L'Amie  de  Coeur,  tall,  early,  very  dark. 
L'Unique,  tall,  early,  rich  purplish  blue. 
Bleu  Mourant,  late,  low,  deep  blue. 
Charles  Dickens,  tall,  early,  perfect  flower. 
Porcelaine  Scepter,  low,  early,  light  blue. 
La  Peyrouse,  low,  early,  porcelaine  blue. 

Double,  White. 
Due  de  Berry,  late,  tall. 
Duchess  of  Bedford,  late,  low. 
La  Deese,  late,  low. 
La  Virginitie,  low,  early. 
Virgo,  tall,  early. 
Lord  Anson  low,  early. 

Single,  White. 

Alba  Superbissima,  low,  early. 
Bella  Donna,  late,  low. 


100  EVERT  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

Blanchard,  tall,  early. 

La  Candeur,  low,  early. 

Queen  Victoria,  low,  early. 

Queen  of  the  Netherlands,  tall,  early. 

Double,  Red  and  Rose. 

Belle  Marie,  late,  tall. 

Bouquet  Constant,  low,  early. 

La  Gaiete,  low,  early. 

Mars,  late,  low. 

Sir  Thomas  Grey,  late,  low. 

Czar  Nicholas,  low,  early. 

Lord  Wellington,  low,  early,  fine. 

Perruque  Koyale,  late,  tall. 

Single,  Red  and  Rose. 
Belle  Corrinne,  low,  early. 
Madame  Hodson,  tall,  early. 
Robert  Steiger,  tall,  early. 
Princess  Victoria,  late,  low. 
Jenny  Lind,  low,  early. 
Duchess  of  Richmond,  tall,  early. 

Double,  Yellow. 
Bouquet  d'Orange,  low,  early. 
Croesus,  late,  low. 
Jaune  Supreme,  tall,  early. 
La  Grandeur,  late,  low. 
Van  Spek,  tall,  early. 

Single,  Yellow. 
Alida  Jacobea,  low,  early. 
Anna  Carolina,  late,  low. 
Pleur  d'Or,  low,  early. 
Koning  Van  Holland,  low,  early. 
La  Pluie  d'Or,  tall,  early. 
Prit  Hein,  low,  early. 
Rhinosceros,  tall,  early. 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  101 

The  Tulip. 

This  bulbous  plant  has  been  aptly  styed  "  The  Fop  of  Flowers,"  for 
it  is  the  most  gorgeous  of  all  the  spring  flowers,  and  its  variety  of  colors, 
most  delicately  blended,  are  almost  beyond  the  power  of  imagination. 

Their  culture  is  so  simple,  that  no  one  can  well  afford  to  be  with- 
out a  bed  of  them,  for  an  early  display  of  gorgeous  bloom. 

They  are  natives  of  Persia,  and  the  name  is  derived  from  tulipan,  a 
turban,  the  calyx  of  the  flower  resembling  that  Eastern  head-dress. 
The  Turks  first  cultivated  them,  and  from  thence  they  were  sent  to 
Vienna.  At  first  they  were  supposed  to  be  eatable,  like  onions,  but 
were  found  unpalatable ;  then  they  were  preserved  in  sugar,  but  their 
taste  was  not  improved,  so  they  were  thrown  out  upon  a  refuse  heap  as 
worthless  trash ;  here  they  bloomed,  and  thus  revealed  the  beauty  of  the 
flower. 

Conrad  Gesner,  the  Swiss  botanist,  first  saw  the  flower  in  1559,  and 
described  it  scientifically.  Many  years  afterwards,  Linnaeus  gave  the 
flower  the  specific  name  of  Gesneriana,  in  honor  of  Gesner. 

Linnaeus  styles  bulbs,  "The  hybernacle,  or  winter  lodge,  of  the  young 
plants."  Darwin  says,  "  These  bulbs  in  every  respect  resemble  buds, 
3xcept  in  their  being  produced  under  ground,  and  include  the  leaves 
and  flowers  in  minature  which  are  to  be  expanded  in  the  ensuing  spring. 
By  cautiously  cutting  in  winter  through  the  concentric  coats  of  a  Tulip 
root,  longitudinally  from  the  top  to  the  base,  and  taking  them  off  suc- 
cessively, the  whole  flower  of  the  next  summer's  Tulip  is  beautifully 
seen  by  the  naked  eye,  with  its  petals,  pistils,  and  stamens.  The  flowers 
exist  in  other  bulbs  in  the  same  manner,  but  their  individual  flowers 
being  of  less  size,  they  are  not  so  easily  dissected,  or  so  conspicuous  to 
the  naked  eye.  The  poet  thus  describes  the  bulb : — 

"  Quick  Hies  fair  Tulipa  the  loud  alarms, 
And  folds  her  infant  closer  in  her  arms ; 
In  some  lone  cave's  secure  pavilion  lies, 
And  waits  the  courtship  of  serener  skies." 

In  the  first  half  of  the  17th  century  the  historical  episode  of  the 
tulipomania  occurred.  It  commenced  in  Holland,  thence  spread  to 
France,  and  England  would  have  felt  its  influence  had  she  not  been  fully 
occupied  with  the  more  sanguinary  mania  of  civil  war.  The  almost 
incredible  extravagances  of  this  mania  are  usually  laid  to  the  Dutch; 
but  this  is  erroneous.  As  well  attribute  the  deeds  of  reckless  stock  spec- 


102  EVERT   WOMAN  HER   OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

ulators  in  railways,  to  the  scientific  engineers  who  planned  and  con- 
structed them. 

The  high  esteem  in  which  the  Dutch  held  the  flower,  doubtless  sowed 
the  seeds  of  the  disease ;  but  the  immense  prices  given  for  single  roots, 
had  no  reference  to  their  floral  value.  It  was  the  love  of  gambling,  and 
not  the  love  of  flowers,  which  created  them.  Speculators  bought  or  sold 
tulip  roots  at  a  certain  price,  to  be  delivered  at  a  specified  time,  just  as  the 
frequenters  of  the  stock  exchange  speculate  by  time  bargains  in  stock. 
Thus  the  tulip  king  of  the  era  would  possess  himself  of  a  certain  variety 
of  Tulip,  and  then  offer  to  purchase  more;  other  dealers,  supposing  they 
could  procure  them  easily,  would  undertake  to  deliver  a  certain  quan- 
tity at  such  a  time,  at  an  agreed  price;  that  variety  would  rise  in  value, 
and  so  the  artful  speculator  could  obtain  almost  any  price  he  pleased  for 
his  roots,  purchased  at  a  low  price. 

"Bulls,"  "bears,"  "ducks,"  "gulls"  and  other  like  animals,  well 
known  to  those  who  frequent  the  stock  markets,  are  not  a  modern 
invention;  but  centuries  ago  existed  in  Holland  and  France.  The 
Dutch  amateurs  loved  their  Tulip  roots  as  they  loved  their  own  houses 
and  lands,  and  Crabbe  tells  us  that: — 

"  With  all  his  phlegm,  it  broke  a  Dutchman's  heart, 
At  a  vast  price,  with  one  loved  root  to  part.'* 

Some  individuals  gave  all  they  possessed  for  the  coveted  bulbs,  and 
we  read  that  one  root  was  exchanged  for  four  fat  oxen. 

In  England,  as  late  as  1835,  a  root  named  "  Fanny  Kemble"  sold  at 
auction  for  $225. 

Tulips  do  not  bloom  quickly  from  the  seed ;  five  years  at  least  must 
elapse  before  "the  bright,  consummate  flower"  appears,  and  its  bloom  is 
usually  a  self,  or  mere  ground  color,  and  is  termed  a  breeder ;  but  in  a 
lew  years  the  calyx  will  become  variegated,  and  it  is  termed  broken ;  so 
when  a  really  choice  variety  is  produced,  its  annual  offsets  is  its  only 
means  of  propagation,  and  it  must  command  a  high  price  for  some  years. 

The  late  variety  of  Tulip  mostly  cultivated  is  T.  Gesneriana,  and  is 
divided  into  three  classes,  viz. : — roses,  byblomens,  and  bizarres.  The 
"  roses "  are  marked  with  cherry,  scarlet,  pink  and  crimson  stripes  or 
veins,  on  a  white  ground.  They  are  usually  eighteen  inches  high,  and 
their  cups  are  large  and  well  formed.  The  "  byblomens "  are  marked 
with  black,  lilac  or  purple,  on  a  white  ground ;  and  the  "  bizarres  "  are 
feathered  with  purple,  pink,  cherry,  scarlet,  etc.,  on  a  yellow  ground. 


EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  103 

These  classes  are  still  divided  into  flamed  and  feathered.  A  Tulip  has 
neither  corolla  or  petal,  but  a  calyx  of  colored  sepals.  A  feathered 
Tulip  has  a  dark  colored  edge,  growing  lighter  toward  the  margin. 

Those  of  our  readers  who  have  never  seen  a  bed  of  these  Tulips  can- 
not even  imagine  the  brilliancy  of  their  colorings  and  gorgeous  feather- 
ings. When  planted  in  diamonds,  ovals,  stars  or  circles,  on  a  well  kept 
lawn,  the  effect  is  splendid ! 

The  "Due  Van  Thol"  varieties  are  a  very  early  kind,  blossoming  in 
temperate  climates  early  in  March.  They  are  dwarfs,  their  stems  not 
over  six  inches  high,  and  they  are  excellent  for  winter  flowering  in  win- 
dow gardens.  There  are  white,  yellow,  scarlet,  red,  rose  and  striped 
varieties,  and  small  beds  of  them  scattered  over  a  lawn,  present  at  a  dis- 
tance the  appearance  of  brilliant  butterflies  hovering  over  the  grass. 
They  are  perfectly  hardy,  but  will  flower  more  plentifully  if  taken  up 
every  spring,  when  the  leaves  have  decayed. 

The  "  Tournesol "  species  come  into  bloom  next  to  the  "  Van  Thols," 
and  are  double  and  only  in  two  kinds ;  the  red  and  yellow,  and  the  clear, 
pure  yellow.  In  mixed  beds  they  are  very  gorgeous. 

The  Double  Tulips  gain  in  favor  yearly;  their  flowers  are  very  bril- 
liant and  large. 

Crown  of  Eoses  is  of  the  richest  rose  color 

Belle  Alliance,  white,  striped,  and  feathered  with  violet. 

Gloria  Mundi,  delicate  primrose,  striped  with  crimson. 

La  Candeur,  of  the  purest  white  and  perfect  shape. 

Poupre  Agreable,  white  and  violet,  late. 

Marriage  de  ma  Fille,  pure  white,  striped  with  cerise,  late. 

Paeony  Gold,  yellow,  beautifully  shaded,  late. 

Lord  Wellington,  blue,  very  showy,  late. 

Amsterdam,  brown  and  red,  curiously  blended,  late. 

The  Parrot  Tulips  are  the  most  curious  and  unique  of  all  the  varie- 
ties. The  flowers  are  magnificently  striped  and  feathered,  with  many 
colors,  most  picturesquely  mingled,  while  the  edges  of  the  sepals  are 
fringed  like  fretted  lace  work.  They  are  very  desirable  for  groups  and 
clumps,  and,  if  planted  around  low  evergreens,  will  stand  out  finely 
against  the  dark,  green  background. 

The  most  distinct  varieties  are : — 

Constantinople,  a  bright  yellow  and  red. 

Glorieuse,  a  brilliant  scarlet. 


104  EVERT  WOMAN  HER    OWN  ILOWER    GARDENER 

Markgraf,  striped,  red  and  yellow. 

Monstre  Kouge,  large,  crimson. 

Belle  Jaune,  large  yellow,  feathered  with  red  and  green. 

Cultivation  of  the  Tulip. 

Fresh,  sandy  loam,  such  as  is  obtained  from  upland  pastures,  is  the 
best  soil.  Eemove  the  sods  from  sheep  or  cow  pastures,  and  take  the 
virgin  soil.  The  late  blooming  Tulips  should  be  planted  four  inches  in 
depth ;  the  "  Van  Thols,"  etc.,  from  two  to  three  inches,  according  to 
their  size,  and  their  roots  will  strike  down  from  five  to  six  inches.  Good 
garden  soil,  mixed  with  cow  manure,  two  years-old,  and  a  plentiful 
sprinkling  of  sand,  will  grow  them  to  advantage,  Never  put  fresh 
barnyard  compost  near  them;  it  will  burn  up  the  bulbs. 

They  should  be  planted  in  November,  and  be  firmly  set  in  the  soil? 
six  inches  apart  for  the  tall  varieties,  and  four  inches  for  the  "  Van 
Thols."  Sprinkle  sand,  as  directed  for  Hyacinths,  into  each  hole;  this 
will  keep  the  bulbs  from  rotting  at  the  base.  After  the  ground  freezes, 
cover  with  straw,  or  leaves,  for  the  freezing  and  thawing  of  the  ground 
injures  the  blooms  of  the  next  spring. 

When  the  leaves  fall,  cut  off  the  stems,  and  when  the  leaves  are  dried 
up  the  bulbs  can  be  removed,  the  offsets  separated,  and  treated  just  like 
Hyacinths. 

In  selecting  the  bulbs,  choose  those  that,  are  solid,  a  little  pointed, 
and  the  skin  entire. 

These  flowers  will  richly  repay  the  little  care  expended  upon  them, 
and  I  especially  desire  to  call  the  attention  of  lady  florists  to  their  merits. 

As  I  write  this  chapter,  I  feast  my  eyes  on  a  small  bed  of  "  Van 
Thols "  that  are  perfectly  gorgeous,  and  attract  the  attention  of  every 
passer-by.  The  cold  north  wind  whistles  around  the  windows,  and 
bends  the  brilliant  calyx  of  their  blooms,  but  does  not  mar  their  beauty. 
By  their  side  sweet  Hyacinths  bloom,  and  they  are  all  the  flowers  which 
my  garden  can  boast  in  this  young  spring-time. 

The  Daffodils. 

These  are  hardy  bulbs,  which  are  common  in  old-fashioned  gardens, 
and  our  grandmothers  loved  to  cherish  them.  They  will  bloom  in  out- 
of-the-way  places  for  years  and  years,  and  ask  no  care  or  attention.  The 
flowers  are  of  a  brilliant  yellow. 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  105 


The  Jonquils. 

Their  creamy,  rose-tipped  chalices  are  always  lovely,  and  the  double 
varieties  are  fair  and  white  as  roses ;  but  some  of  them  lack  the  fra- 
grance of  their  sister  bulbs. 

The  Narcissus. 

This  is  an  extensive  fangily  which  grows  freely  in  any  good  garden 
loam.  The  Daffodil  and  Jonquil  belong  to  the  family,  and  there  are 
many  varieties  of  the  Polyanthus  Narcissus,  which  are  the  most  lovely 
bulbs  of  the  class.  Their  flowers  are  formed  in  clusters  of  six  to  twelve 
9  flowers  on  a  single  stem,  and  of  every  shade  from  purest  white  to  deepest 
orange.  The  cup  of  the  white  varieties  is  always  yellow,  and  of  the  yel- 
low, a  deep  orange.  These  bulbs  flower  finely  in  the  window  garden, 
and  three  or  four  bulbs  can  be  grown  in  a  small  pot.  The  Double  Nar- 
cissus is  very  desirable  for  its  perfect  flower  and  spicy  fragrance.  They 
all  require  the  same  treatment  as  Hyacinths,  and  should  be  planted  four 
inches  deep,  and  set  out  in  clumps,  ten  inches  apart. 

Anemones. 

These  are  very  lovely  bulbs ;  their  colors  are  gorgeous,  and  the  mark- 
ings, belts  and  stripes  very  charming.  Double  and  single  are  both 
beautiful.  The  bulbs  are  tender  in  our  north  countries,  and  can  be  kept 
in  the  house  until  spring,  in  a  dry,  cool  place,  and  set  out  as  soon  as  the 
ground  is  well  thawed.  In  mild  climates  they  can  be  planted  in  Octo- 
ber or  November.  They  bloom  after  the  earlier  bulbs  are  gone,  and 
their  flowers  last  a  long  time.  When  the  leaves  turn  yellow,  take  up 
the  roots,  dry  in  the  shade,  and  pack  away  in  sand  until  autumn. 

The  Lily  of  the  Valley 

»Must  not  be  forgotten  among  Spring  Flowering  Bulbs,  though  her  roots 
partake  more  of  the  nature  of  small,  thin  tubers.  She  hangs  her  pearly 
bells  like  so  many  fragrant  censers,  and  is  ever  welcome  and  ever  lovely 
— a  true  home  flower,  sanctified  to  many  hearts  by  both  festive  and 
funeral  occasions.  No  garden  is  complete  without  a  bed  of  them ! 

There  are  both  double  and  single  varieties,  but  the  latter  are  the  most 
common.  These  sweet  flowers  require  no  care,  will  bloom  for  years  in 
the  same  bed,  and  throw  out  their  pure  white  tuberous  roots  far  into  the 
pathways.  They  love  the  shade,  and  flourish  best  in  an  out-of-the-way 


106  EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

corner,  where  the  soil  is  moist  and  rich.  Are  perfectly  hardy,  requiring 
no  protection  in  the  coldest  winter.  There  is  no  bulb  that  flourishes  so 
perfectly  under  neglect;  and  no  flower  which  is  more  perfect  in  form 
and  fragrance. 

The  Ranunculus. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  these  bulbs — the  Double  Persian,  and  the 
Turban ;  they  form  a  fine  contrast  when  planned  together.  They  require 
a  rich  soil,  at  least  a  foot  and  a  half  in  depth  of  friable,  rich  earth ;  that 
taken  from  a  marshy  wood — deep  and  dark,  and  mixed  with  very  old 
decomposed  manure — is  the  best  for  them.  They  need  to  be  frequently 
watered ;  drought  will  kill  their  blossoms,  and  they  are  too  tender  to 
endure  the  cold  of  northern  winters,  but  must  be  kept  in  dry  sand,  and 
planted  out  three  inches  deep,  early  in  the  spring.  The  hot  sun  will 
fade  out  their  bright  colors,  so  it  is  best  to  plant  them  in  the  shade. 

Ixias,  Scillas,  Irises,  Colchicums  and  Crown  Imperials  are  all  good 
border  plants,  and  add  variety  to  a  bed  of  bulbous  roots. 

Generally,  any  well-drained  garden  soil  will  answer  for  them ;  if  clay, 
a  good  sprinkling  of  sand,  and  a  top  dressing  of  well  decayed  manure 
will  make  them  bloom  more  freely. 


OHAPTEE  XYI. 


BULBS  FOB  SUMMER  FLOWERING. 

"  '  Look  at  the  Lilies,  how  they  grow! ' 

'  Twas  thus  the  Saviour  said,  that  we, 
E'en  in  the  simplest  flowers  that  blow, 
God's  ever  watchful  care  might  see. 

Shall  He  who  paints  the  Lily's  leaf, 

Who  gives  the  Rose  its  scented  breath, 
Love  all  His  works,  except  the  chief, 

And  leave  His  image,  man,  to  death  ?  " 

The  Japan  Lilies. 

Bulbs  that  can  be  preserved  in  the  house  in  a  dry  state  during  the 
winter,  and  planted  in  the  ground  in  the  spring,  or  those  which  live  out 
during  the  winter  and  bloom  in  the  house,  are  called  Summer  Bulbs. 

To  this  class  belong  the  Japan  Lilies,  Gladiolus,  Dahlias,  Tuberoses, 
Tigridias,  Amaryllis  formosissima,  Valotta  purpurea  superba,  and  Tri- 
tomas. 

These  flowers  are  of  very  easy  cultivation,  and  contribute  largely  to 
the  beauty  of  the  garden ;  their  magnificent  bloom  well  repaying  the 
little  attention  they  require.  The  peculiar  nature  of  a  bulb  is  not  gen- 
erally well  understood ;  it  really  partakes  more  of  the  properties  of  a 
seed,  for,  when  in  the  act  of  vegetating  it  sends  down  into  the  soil  roots, 
and  into  the  air  a  living  stem,  and  the  matter  contained  in  the  bulb 
decomposes  and  nourishes  the  young  plant,  while  the  seed  decays  in 
giving  birth  to  the  plant ;  but  the  bulb  is  renewed,  and  from  the  roots 
another  bulb  is  composed  which  appears  to  be  the  same  one  planted, 
yet  it  is  its  offspring,  and  the  offsets  or. young  bulbs  are  its  suckers,  and 


108  EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

are  distinct  from  the  parent  bulb.  Thus  like  the  myth  of  the  Phenix 
springing  from  the  ashes  of  the  parent  bulb,  the  offspring  is  formed. 
This  formation  is  readily  seen  in  the  Gladiolus  and  the  Crocus. 

The  rarely  beautiful  Lilies  which  have  been  imported  from  Japan  are 
great  additions  to  the  list  of  summer  flowers.  They  are  shaped  like  the 
old-fashioned  Tiger  Lily,  always  seen  in  old  gardens,  but  entirely  surpass 
it  in  the  beauty  of  their  coloring. 

They  were  first  treated  as  "  stove  plants,"  and  did  not  show  forth  their 
glories,  but  now  they  will  survive  the  coldest  northern  winter  with  a 
slight  covering  of  leaves,  and  have  proved  themselves  indispensable. 
•  They  grow  readily  in  any  good  soil,  but  like  all  other  flowers,  will 
repay  their  cultivator  if  supplied  with  a  rich,  loamy  soil,  mixed  with 
sandy  peat;  this  is  their  native  soil,  and  they  will  produce  many  more 
flowers  upon  one  stalk  if  attention  is  paid  to  their  wants.  They  require 
much  moisture  when  in  flower,  and  if  the  season  is  very  hot  and  dry, 
will  bloom  much  longer  if  mulched  with  moist  manure. 

We  are  indebted  to  the  enterprising  and  scientific  traveler,  Dr.  Siebold, 
for  the  introduction  of  the  Japan  Lilies  to  our  gardens. 

Lilium  speciosum  has  been  thus  described : — "  The  clear,  deep  rose- 
color  of  its  petals  are  all  rugged  with  rubies  and  garnets,  sparkling  with 
crystal  points.  Indeed,  the  diamond  bouquets,  the  Queen  of  Spain's 
jewels,  and  even  the  far-famed  Koh-i-noor  itself,  must  pale  their  ineffec- 
tual fires,  when  compared  with  this  gorgeous  flower.  The  jeweler  who 
wishes  to  produce  a  most  exquisitely  tasteful,  as  well  as  dazzling  and 
brilliant  ornament,  should  take  one  of  these  Lilies  as  his  model." 

Lilium  lancifolium  album  has  pure  white  flowers;  sometimes  the 
lower  part  of  the  petals  are  washed  with  violet. 

Lilium  lancifolium  punctatum  has  flowers  of  a  flesh  color,  with  spots 
of  delicate  rose. 

Lilium  lancifolium  rubrum  possesses  very  large  flowers  of  rose-color, 
suffused  with  carmine,  and  purplish  colored  papilla. 

Lilium  longiflorum  is  a  very  beautiful  species,  growing  nearly  two 
feet  high,  and  producing  from  one  to  five  flowers,  according  to  the  size 
of  the  bulb ;  the  flowers  are  of  a  pure,  waxy  white,  trumpet  shaped,  and 
from  six  to  eight  inches  long.  It  blooms  early  in  July,  while  the  above- 
named  varieties  do  not  bloom  until  August. 

Lilium  eximium  is  another  handsome  variety,  resembling  L.  longi- 
florum, but  the  flowers  are  larger  and  their  color  is  of  a  sating  whiteness. 


EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  109 


Lilitim  Brownii  possesses  many  of  the  characteristics  of  the  two  pre- 
ceding, but  the  outside  of  the  flower  is  striped  with  deep  brownish- 
violet  lines. 

All  these  Lilies  will  grow  and  blossom  luxuriantly  for  several  weeks. 
They  increase  rapidly  by  small  bulbs  below  the  soil,  and  it  is  well  to 
remove  them  every  autumn,  and  plant  them  separately.  Thus  treated, 
they  will  often  bloom  the  second  season.  The  small  bulbs  should  be 
planted  in  a  light,  sandy  soil,  and  covered  two  inches  deep.  The  soil 
should  not  be  made  too  rich  with  manure,  as  it  tends  to  rot  the  bulbs. 
A  Double  Japan  Lily  has  been  produced,  but  as  yet  the  bulbs  are  very 
rare  and  high  priced. 

And  Mr.  Fortune  has  introduced  from  China,  Lilium  tigrinum  For- 
tunei,  which  is  remarkable  for  its  vigorous  growth,  and  its  immense 
cluster  of  flowers  which  branch  out  in  three  successive  series  from  the 
main  stem,  thus  prolonging  its  season  of  bloom. 

Another  novelty  is  Lilium  tigrinum  splendens,  introduced  by  M.  Van 
Houtte,  which  resembles  the  Fortunei  in  many  respects,  but  differs  from 
it  in  color,  and  has  more  prominent  spots  on  the  perianth.  Both  of 
them  are  considered  gorgeous  additions  to  the  family  of  bulbous 
plants. 

Lilium  auratum  is  styled  the  "  Queen  of  the  Japanese  Lilies."  To  its 
perfect  form  and  rare  coloring,  it  adds  the  most  delicious  fragrance. 
Its  blossoms  are  very  large,  and  each  petal  is  decorated  with  a  golden 
band  running  through  its  center.  It  is  perfectly  hardy,  and  often  pro- 
duces from  fifteen  to  twenty-five  blossoms  on  a  single  stalk.  Good 
flowering  bulbs  are  now  held  at  a  low  price.  It  flowers  in  August, 
but  by  planting  in  pots  its  time  of  blossoming  can  be  forestalled.  Like 
the  other  Lilies,  it  delights  in  a  sandy  loam.  The  Japan  Lilies  make 
fine  lawn  plants.  If  planted  in  a  circular  bed,  with  the  tallest  in  the 
center,  the  effect  is  very  pleasing. 

The  Gladiolus. 

The  Gladiolus  has  become  the  chief  favorite  among  its  class.  Its 
name  is  derived  from  its  sword-shaped  leaves ;  it  possesses  upwards  of 
sixty  species,  divided  by  hybridization  into  an  immense  number  of 
varieties.  In  nearly  all  the  species  the  flowers  retain  the  same  form,  but 
they  differ  in  colorings  and  markings.  These  bulbs  are  mostly  natives 
of  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  Madagascar  and  Southern  Africa,  They  will  not 


110  EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

survive  our  northern  climate,  and  must  always  be  kept  in  a  cool,  dry 
place  during  the  winter. 

In  their  native  land,  they  bloom  during  the  wet  season,  which  shows 
us  that  they  require  a  good  supply  of  moisture  to  bloom  in  perfection  in 
our  dry,  hot  summers. 

These  flowers  were  not  much  known  until  1795,  when  the  Cape 
Colony  was  ceded  to  England,  and  her  botanists  and  collectors  of  rare 
plants  seized  upon  them  with  delight.  Since  then  they  have  become 
"Florists'  Flowers,"  and  their  successful  hybridizations  have  greatly 
increased  their  beauty  and  colorings. 

To  grow  the  bulbs  in  perfection,  they  should  be  planted  in  a  sandy 
loam,  enriched  with  leaf  mould  and  peat.  A  mixture  of  one-half  loam, 
one-quarter  peat,  and  one-quarter  leaf  mould  will  suit  them  perfectly. 

They  may  be  planted  in  the  open  air  during  April  or  May. 

If  strong  manures  are  used  in  the  soil,  it  causes  the  colors  of  the 
flowers  to  run  into  each  other,  and  gives  them  a  muddy  appearance. 
The  bulbs  can  be  planted  in  groups  or  singly.  Groups  of  three  or  five 
are  the  most  usual  way  of  planting  them.  They  should  be  set  from 
two  to  four  inches  deep,  according  to  the  size  of  the  bulbs.  As  they 
grow  up,  they  should  be  tied  to  a  light  stake,  from  three  to  four  feet  long. 

When  the  frost  has  killed  the  leaves,  dig  up  the  bulbs,  dry  them  in 
the  sun,  cut  off  the  leaves  an  inch  from  the  stem,  and  put  the  bulbs  in 
a  paper  bag.  Kept  in  a  frost-proof  cellar,  they  will  retain  all  their  life. 
From  one  bulb,  two  or  three  bulbs  will  spring ;  they  increase  rapidly, 
and  can  be  purchased  cheaply. 

The  high  prices  in  the  catalogues  are  no  criterion  of  their  beauty,  but 
only  mark  them  as  "novelties." 

Many  bulbs  are  held  at  four  dollars  a  root,  but  that  shows  their 
scarcity. 

Low  priced  varieties  will  often  please  us  quite  as  well,  and  are  not 
surpassed  by  the  colors  of  the  "  novelties." 

Among  the  most  beautiful  of  the  Gladiolus,  are : — 

Belle  Gabrielle,  a  perfectly  shaped  flower,  fine  lilac-colored  rose, 
marked  with  a  bright  rose-color. 

Charles  Dickens,  delicate  rose,  tinted  with  chamois,  striped  with  a 
rosy  carmine. 

Comte  de  Morny,  rosy  scarlet  flecked  with  rich  crimson,  lower  petals 
shaded  with  crimson. 


EVERT  WOMAN  HER   OWN  FLOWER   GARDENER.  Ill 

Dr.  Lindley,  very  large  flower  of  perfect  shape,  rose-color  petals  of  a 
brighter  shade,  feathered  with  cherry-color;  very  showy. 

Lady  Franklin,  white,  slightly  tinged  with  rose,  striped  and  blazed 
with  carminate  rose. 

La  Fran^ais,  flower  pure  white,  and  very  large,  with  small  bluish 
violet  blotches;  very  fine. 

Moliere,  flower  very  large;  a  bright  cherry-red  with  large,  pure  white 
stains. 

Mozart,  bright  rose,  tinted  with  violet,  blazed  with  dark  carmine,  with 
pure  white  stains ;  a  very  beautiful  variety. 

Koi  Leopold,  bright  rose,  tinged  with  orange,  and  stained  with  white. 

Stephenson,  large  flower,  cherry-colored,  striped  with  white  lines; 
splendid  spike  of  flowers. 

Stella,  perfect  shaped  flower,  white  ground,  slightly  tinged  with  yel- 
low and  rose ;  very  brilliant  and  showy. 

Sir  Walter  Scott,  very  bright  rose-color  on  a  white  ground,  striped 
with  carmine ;  very  fine. 

Vicomtesse  de  Belleval,  delicate  blush,  stained  with  violet. 

Good  varieties  can  be  purchased  from  $1.50  to  $2.00  per  dozen. 

Gladioli  show  to  good  advantage  if  planted  around  rose  bushes,  or 
among  herbaceous  perennials.  They  bloom  late  in  the  season,  when 
most  of  these  flowers  are  past,  and  if  well  trained  to  stakes,  which  should 
be  set  when  the  flower  is  planted,  they  will  produce  a  charming  effect. 
They  make  very  nice  house  plants  for  window  gardens ;  six  or  eight 
bulbs  can  be  grown  in  a  twelve-inch  pot,  and  each  kind  tied  to  a  thin 
stake.  They  will  bloom  finely.  If  the  stalks  are  cut  off  for  vases  or 
bouquets,  they  will  continue  to  bloom  for  a  week  or  two,  sending  forth 
fresh  flowers  daily. 

There  is  no  bulbous  root  which  gives  a  greater  variety  of  colors  in  its 
flowers,  or  better  repays  the  care  and  attention  bestowed  upon  it.  All 
lovers  of  flowers  must  cultivate  a  few  of  these  desirable  bulbs. 

The  Dahlia. 

The  great  variety  and  beauty  of  its  blossoms,  and  their  profusion  in 
the  later  summer  and  autumn,  when  many  of  our  handsomest  flowers 
are  gone,  make  it  well  worthy  of  good  culture.  The  Dahlia  is  a  native 
of  Mexico,  and  was  found  by  Baron  Humboldt  growing  on  the  elevated, 
sandy  plains  of  Mexico,  five  thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 


112  EVERY    WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

He  gatnered  the  seeds  and  sent  them  to  the  Abbe  Cavanilles,  Professor 
of  Botany  at  the  Royal  Garden  of  Madrid,  who  succeeded  in  flowering 
a  plant  in  October,  1789,  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  Dahlia  piiinata, 
in  honor  of  Dahl,  a  Swedish  botanist,  a  pupil  of  Linnaeus.  Objections 
were  made  to  this  name  because  it  resembled  Dalea,  a  name  given  to  an 
entirely  different  plant,  in  honor  of  Dale,  an  Englishman.  Professor 
Wildenow,  in  his  "  Species  Plantarum,"  calls  it  Georgina,  after  Georgi, 
a  Russian  botanist.  De  Candolle  and  other  eminent  writers  adopted 
that  title ;  but  the  original  name  was  the  favorite,  and  still  exists.  In 
1790,  the  Marchioness  of  Bute  received  some  seeds  from  Spain,  which 
flowered  finely,  but  not  knowing  how  to  treat  the  tubers  in  the  winter, 
the  plants  were  lost.  In  1804,  Lady  Holland  sent  seeds  to  M.  Buonainti, 
a  practical  gardner  and  skillful  botanist;  he  cultivated  them  successfully, 
and  from  those  seeds  almost  all  the  various  kinds  of  Dahlias  have  sprung. 

De  Candolle  obtained  seeds,  and  in  1810  he  describes  only  five  varie- 
ties of  Variabilis,  and  three  of  Frustranea ;  but  he  had  no  double  flower. 

The  first  double  Dahlia  was  sent  from  Stuttgard  to  Mons.  Yon  Otto, 
who  raised  one  similar,  in  the  Royal  Garden  at  Berlin,  in  1809.  He 
labored  patiently  to  improve  the  varieties,  and  by  1816  had  three  more 
double  flowers;  but  not  until  1820  could  he  show  six  double  flowering 
kinds.  Now  they  are  counted  by  the  hundreds  and  thousands ;  and  it 
would  seem  as  if  there  were  no  limits  to  the  improvement  of  it.  Mr. 
Paxton  asks,  "  Who  would  have  supposed,  that  from  one  comparatively 
insignificant  plant,  such  endless,  innumerable,  beautiful  varieties  could 
have  been  produced;  and  what  may  we  not  anticipate?  It  is  not  un- 
reasonable to  expect  still  a  greater  improvement.  May  we  not  have  com- 
binations of  those  clear,  rich,  and  exquisitely  beautiful  colors  for  which 
the  Tulip  has  been  so  long  admired  ?  Perhaps,  ere  long,  our  fancy  may 
be  gratified  by  seeing  Dahlias  with  the  shades  of  black  and  white  associ- 
ated in  the  same  flower ;  and  the  popular  taste  may  be  also  gratified 
with  globular  shaped  flowers." 

A  blue  Dahlia  was  the  ne  plus  ultra  for  which  the  florists  strove,  and 
many  watered  their  young  seedlings  with  an  infusion  of  indigo,  hoping 
thereby  to  give  the  desired  cerulean  hue. 

Mons.  de  Candolle  considers  yellow  and  blue  to  be  the  fundamental 
types  of  colors  in  flowers,  and  that  they  are  antagonistic,  i.  e.,  mutually 
exclude  each  other ;  the  blue  flowers  can  by  cultivation  be  changed  into 
all  shades  of  red,  purple  and  white,  while  the  yellow  will  pass  into  the 


EVERY    WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  113 


same  shades,  but  never  into  blue.  For  many  years  the  Dahlia  showed 
only  the  shades  of  purple  and  crimson,  and  it  was  not  believed  that  any 
other  color  could  be  produced.  A  pure  white  flower  at  length  was 
produced,  and  caused  a  great  sensation ;  and  the  yellow  was  greeted 
with  much  delight  The  growing  of  Dahlias  was  a  passion  in  England 
and  the  United  States,  twenty  years  ago ;  and  new  varieties  were  much 
sought  for.  Large  sums  of  money  were  paid  for  them. 

The  Liliputiaii  or  Pompone  Dahlias  are  very  lovely  for  bouquets  and 
vases.  The  flowers  are  of  the  desired  globular  shape,  and  each  petal  is 
perfectly  cupped  and  tinted.  They  grow  about  eighteen  inches  to  two 
feet  high,  and  are  desirable  for  the  smallest  garden.  Some  of  the  flowers 
are  no  larger  than  a  Ranunculus ;  the  plant  is  perfectly  covered  with 
buds  and  flowers  that  produce  a  charming  effect. 

Dahlias  will  grow  in  almost  any  kind  of  soil,  excepting  wet,  heavy  clay 
loam ;  but  a  moderately  rich,  light  loam  is  the  best.  A  clear,  open  location, 
well  exposed  to  the  sun,  is  indispensable  for  the  finest  blooms.  They 
grow  finely  on  the  southwestern  side  of  a  fence,  making  a  hedge  of 
unsurpassed  beauty.  The  plants  should  be  set  three  feet  apart ;  if  grown 
en  masse,  they  should  have  as  much  room  as  that,  and  they  will  grow 
so  bushy,  that  at  a  little  distance,  they  will  appear  closely  grouped.  As 
borderings  on  each  side  of  a  walk,  they  show  to  great  advantage,  and  can 
be  planted  once  in  two  and  a  half  feet. 

Dahlias  can  be  trained  by  pegging  down  the  tender  shoots,  so  that 
they  will  cover  a  bed;  the  branches  must  be  pegged  down  as  the  plants 
grow,  until  the  bed  is  entirely  covered,  and  will  present  an  uniform  mass 
of  flowers  and  foliage.  Plants  for  this  purpose  should  be  set  only  two 
feet  apart.  Some  train  them  in  the  espalier  form,  by  allowing  three  or 
four  stems  to  grow  from  each  root,  laying  them  diagonally  on  both  sides, 
and  filling  up  the  center  with  the  lateral  shoots. 

These  flowers  are  propagated  by  seeds,  division  of  the  tubers,  and  by 
cuttings.  Few,  but  experienced  florists,  succeed  in  growing  them  in 
the  last-named  manner,  but  all  of  us  can  raise  them  from  the  two  for- 
mer. It  is  no  more  work  to  grow  a  Dahlia  than  a  potato. 

Keeping  Dahlias  through  the  Winter. 

The  tubers  need  not  be  dug  up  until  just  before  the  ground  freezes; 
then  remove  them  to  a  dry  out-house  for  a  day  or  two  to  dry  off.  Don't 
break  the  tubers  apart,  but  cut  the  stem  down  to  within  a  few  inches 

8 


114  EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

of  them,  and  use  it  as  a  handle  by  which  to  lift  them.  All  the  flowering 
stems  of  another  season  are  situated  on  or  near  the  point  of  junction 
between  the  tubers  and  the  stem.  When  they  are  so  dried  that  the  soil 
will  all  shake  off,  pack  them  in  barrels  or  boxes  and  fill  up  with  sand 
that  has  been  dried  in  the  sun  especially  for  them.  If  you  put  them  in 
damp  sand  they  will  decay.  After  they  are  carefully  packed,  put  them 
in  a  dry  cellar — frost-proof,  and  they  will  come  out  in  March  and  April 
fresh  and  vigorous.  In  planting  them,  it  is  considered  best  to  set  out 
the  cluster  of  tubers,  and  after  the  shoots  have  sprouted  two  or  three 
inches,  to  separate  them,  leaving  two  shoots  to  a  tuber.  When  planted 
out  into  the  border,  put  the  root  at  least  three  inches  under  ground, 
and  water  carefully,  shading  from  the  sun  for  two  or  three  days.  A 
stake  must  be  inserted  close  by  the  stem  when  the  tuber  is  planted,  and 
as  the  shoots  advance,  tie  them  to  it.  If  placed  there  after  the  plant  is 
growing,  you  may  injure  the  roots. 

It  is  from  seeds  alone  that  new  varieties  spring.  They  should  be 
sown  early  in  the  spring,  in  shallow  boxes  in  a  window  or  hot-bed,  in  a 
rich,  light  soil,  with  a  good  sprinkling  of  sand ;  as  soon  as  the  third  and 
fourth  leaves  are  well  developed,  plant  them  in  two-inch  pots,  or  in  boxes 
three  inches  apart ;  shade  them  from  the  light  for  two  days  or  so,  as  the 
seedlings  are  very  tender.  They  can  be  planted  into  the  border  when  all 
danger  of  frost  is  past ;  and  if  the  soil  is  enriched  with  well-rotted  cow- 
manure,  the  blooms  will  be  finer.  Until  the  buds  show  their  coloring, 
there  is  no  way  of  ascertaining  it  with  certainty,  though  plants  with 
pure  green  stems  will  usually  produce  white  flowers,  those  with  reddish- 
brown  stems  the  darkest  colored  flowers,  and  those  with  light  brown 
stems,  pale  or  blush-colored  flowers.  Such  plants  as  are  not  handsome 
should  be  pulled  up,  as  soon  as  the  flowers  have  fully  shown  their  char- 
acter; and  give  more  room  for  the  beautiful  ones  to  grow  in. 

If  the  finest  blooms  are  desired,  the  side  branches  should  all  be 
pinched  off,  and  only  the  three  or  four  strongest  shoots  allowed  to  grow, 
and  on  these  the  buds  must  be  thinned  out,  leaving  only  three  or  four 
to  come  to  perfection.  The  hot  sun  is  injurious  to  the  more  delicate 
shades,  and  careful  cultivators  suspend  an  oiled  paper,  to  protect  their 
rare  plants  from  it,  also  from  heavy,  drenching  rains. 

Soapsuds  make  an  excellent  fertilizer,  and  it  is  well  to  give  the  roots 
a  thorough  drenching  with  it,  at  least  once  a  week.  Much  of  the  suc- 
cess in  growing  fine  Dahlias  depends  upon  training  them  carefully,  and 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  115 

fastening  the  shoots  with  soft  yarn  to  the  stake  every  few  days.  By  pro- 
tecting from  the  first  frosts,  the  blossoms  may  be  prolonged  late  into  the 
autumn,  after  the  death  of  most  flowers  of  the  garden,  and  if  gathered 
and  kept  in  fresh  water,  the  flowers  will  last  a  fortnight,  or  even  longer. 

A  select  list  of  varieties : — 

America,  raised  by  Mr.  Gerhard  Schmitz,  of  Philadelphia,  who  has 
been  very  successful  in  producing  fine  varieties ;  white  ground,  striped 
and  splashed  with  rosy-crimson,  perfect  globular  shade,  and  cupped 
petals.  Eeceived  first  prize  from  Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society. 

Amazon,  scarlet  margins,  yellow  center. 

Alba  multiflora,  pure  white. 

Ali  Baba,  deep  scarlet. 

Amorette,  light  rose,  edged  with  lilac.  , 

Antiope,  buff,  shaded  with  carmine. 

Autumn  Glow,  orange-salmon,  buff  edge. 

Bird  of  Passage,  white,  tipped  with  carmine. 

Colossus,  large  yellow. 

Carnation  striped,  buff,  striped  with  crimson  and  lilac. 

Charivari,  yellow  striped  and  blotched  with  carmine. 

Conqueror  of  the  whites,  purest  white. 

Duchess  of  Cambridge,  pink,  edged  with  crimson. 

Ebene,  rosy-buff,  mottled  with  white. 

Gem,  scarlet,  tipped  with  white. 

Glowing  Coal,  crimson-scarlet. 

Hebe,  white,  edged  with  yellow,  tipped  with  red. 

Koh-i-noor,  canary-yellow. 

Maude,  white,  tipped  with  lilac. 

Murillo,  salmon,  shaded  lilac  and  carmine. 

Gullet  Parfait,  buff,  striped  with  scarlet. 

Queen  Mab,  scarlet  tipped  with  white. 

Striata,  lilac,  striped  with  maroon. 

Talisman,  rose,  striped  with  crimson. 

Tiger,  maroon-purple. 

Startler,  maroon,  tipped  with  white. 

Select  List  of  Liliputian  or  Pompone  Dahlias. 

Arndt,  magenta,  with  brown  stripes  and  spots. 
Alba  Floribunda  nana,  pure  white,  very  dwarf. 


116  EVERY  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

Black  Diamond,  maroon. 
Guiding  Star,  pure  white,  fimbriated. 
Exquisite,  rich  golden  yellow,  tipped  with  scarlet. 
Kind  and  True,  straw-color,  tipped  with  purple. 
Little  Nymph,  white,  shaded  with  rose. 
Little  Kate,  dark  crimson. 
Little  Willie,  richest  deep  pink. 
Little  Agnes,  brightest  of  scarlets. 
Little  Dear,  blush,  marbled  with  white. 

Little  Herman,  the  finest  Liliput  Dahlia  in  cultivation ;  cherry-pink, 
tipped  with  white. 

Otto  Weilbacher,  yellow,  striped  with  scarlet. 
Rachel,  salmon,, tipped  with  crimson. 
Rose  of  Gold,  finest  vermillion. 
Tansenblitz,  deep  maroon,  shaded  with  rose. 
Utz,  dark  maroon. 

Tuberoses. 

One  of  the  most  beautiful  of  all  the  summer-flowering  bulbs,  and 
unequaled  in  fragrance  by  any  flower  that  grows.  The  flowers  are  in 
much  request  upon  all  festive  occasions,  and  are  also  in  use  for  funeral 
wreaths,  crosses,  etc.  It  is  said  that  a  million  of  roots  are  grown  about 
the  environs  of  New  York,  and  they  can  be  purchased  from  a  single 
flower,  with  a  scented  leaf  of  geranium,  to  immense  dishes  or  baskets  of 
them,  arranged  with  other  flowers.  Fifty  flowers  have  been  raised  on  a 
single  stem,  but  from  sixteen  to  twenty  is  the  average  number.  The 
bulbs  never  bloom  but  once,  but  numerous  small  offsets  form  round 
the  parent  root,  which,  if  kept  over  winter  in  a  dry  place,  not  less  than 
fifty  degrees  in  temperature,  will  bloom  in  two  years.  In  latitudes  north 
of  New  York  city,  the  bulbs  must  be  started  early  in  March,  to  bloom 
before  the  frost  touches  them.  There  are  few  plants  grown  in  the  gar- 
den which  give  more  perfect  satisfaction. 

The  Double  Tuberose  is  considered  the  most  desirable  flower,  but  the 
single  possesses  the  same  delicious  perfume,  and  blooms  earlier  than  the 
double.  A  new  variety,  with  variegated  leaves  striped  with  light  yellow, 
is  admired  for  its  novelty.  They  bloom  best  in  a  sandy  soil,  well  en- 
riched with  concentrated  manures;  Guano  water,  prepared  as  before 
described,  will  hasten  their  flowering,  and  increase  the  number  of  buds. 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  117 

It  can  be  given  twice  a  week,  if  the  bulbs  are  in  the  open  ground  or  in 

large  boxes. 

The  Tigridia. 

The  Tiger-flower,  or  Tigridia,  is  a  very  showy  Mexican  bulb,  growing 
about  eighteen  inches  high ;  its  flowers  are  four  inches  in  diameter,  and 
of  most  gorgeous  coloring,  and  curious  form.  They  require  the  same 
culture  as  the  Gladiolus;  will  not  live  out  of  doors  in  cold  latitudes. 
There  are  as  yet  but  four  or  five  varieties,  which  bloom  from  July  to 
October. 

T.  pavonia,  scarlet,  spotted  and  tipped  with  yellow. 

T.  conchiflora,  orange  and  yellow,  with  black  spots. 

T.  conchiflora  grandiflora,  lemon-color,  spotted  with  crimson. 

T.  speciosa,  orange,  with  deep,  maroon-colored  spots. 

Amaryllis  formosissima. 

The  Jacobean  Lily,  or  Amaryllis  formosissima,  is  a  dwarf-growing 
plant,  and  each  bulb  will  usually  produce  two  flowers  of  the  richest 
crimson-violet  hue,  and  of  remarkably  beautiful  form ;  the  flowers  have 
six  petals,  three  erect  and  reflexed,  and  three  drooping,  giving  the  flower 
a  peculiarly  graceful  appearance.  If  planted  early,  in  the  house  or  hot- 
bed, it  will  bloom  in  June  or  July.  The  bulbs  must  be  preserved  like 
those  of  the  Tigridia. 

Vallota  Purpurea  Superba. 

This  plant  is  of  the  easiest  culture,  and  no  summer  flowering  bulb 
surpasses  it  in  richness  of  coloring.  It  is  a  native  of  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope ;  and  its  leaves  do  not  die  down  after  the  flowering  season,  so  it 
cannot  be  packed  away  like  other  bulbs,  but  must  be  kept  at  rest  in  the 
earth,  in  a  dry  state.  The  leaves  are  flat  and  of  a  rich  green,  and  spread 
out  like  a  fan.  The  flower  stalk  rises  about  a  foot  in  height,  and  bears 
a  cluster  of  from  six  to  eight  scarlet,  lily-shaped  flowers.  The  bulbs 
are  increased  by  numerous  offsets,  which  will  bloom  in  three  years,  at 
the  latest.  Botanists  class  this  flower  with  the  genus  Amaryllis,  and  it 
is  called  in  some  books  Amaryllis  speciosa ;  but  it  is  more  commonly 
known  as  Valotta  purpurea,  though  there  is  no  shade  of  purple  about  it, 
for  the  flowers  are  of  the  brightest  scarlet,  with  bright  yellow  stamens 
and  anthers.  The  bulbs  can  be  planted  out  in  the  open  border,  and 
repotted  when  the  frost  comes.  It  is  such  a  showy  and  elegant  plant, 
that  it  should  be  cultivated  by  all  who  delight  in  Flowering  Bulbs. 


118  EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

Tritoma   Uvaria  Grandiflora. 

This  is  a  splendid  plant,  with  a  magnificent  spike  of  rich  orange-red 
flowers ;  from  its  glowing  color  it  has  been  called  "  Red  Hot  Poker." 
It  will  bloom  freely  in  any  good  garden  soil,  and  is  hardy  in  the  latitude 
of  New  York  city,  but  farther  north,  the  roots  require  to  be  kept  in  sand 
during  the  winter.  The  flower-stem  will  often  grow  from  four  to  five 
feet  in  height,  and  it  produces  a  very  fine  effect.  To  bloom  before  the 
frost,  they  require  to  be  started  in  March  or  April,  and  should  not  be 
planted  out  until  there  is  settled  warm  weather. 

The  Summer  Flowering  Bulbs  form  a  distinct  class  of  flowers,  and 
will,  of  themselves,  make  a  gloriously  gorgeous  garden,  requiring  but 
little  attention,  as  their  bulbous  roots  do  not  usually  demand  the  fre- 
quent waterings  that  annuals  and  bedding-out  plants  must  have  in  this 
hot,  dry  climate.  These  bulbs,  with  the  exception  of  the  Lilies  which 
head  the  chapter,  must  be  housed  in  the  winter,  in  cold  climates ;  but 
our  southern  sisters  can  plant  them  out,  and  they  will  only  ask  to  be 
removed  to  new  quarters,  as  their  offspring  multiply  and  crowd  them 
out. 

The  florists'  catalogues  offer  them  all  at  small  cost,  and  it  is  impossible 
for  those  who  have  not  feasted  their  eyes  upon  their  glowing  beauties,  to 
even  imagine  their  glories  ! 


CHAPTER  XVIL 


OLD  FASHIONED  FLOWEKS. 

"O,  Father,  Lord! 

The  All-beneficent !    I  bless  thy  name, 
That  thou  hast  mantled  the  green  earth  with  flowers, 
Linking  our  hearts  to  nature  !    The  old  man's  eye 
Falls  on  the  kindling  blossoms,  and  his  soul 
Remembers  youth  and  love,  and  hopefully 
Turns  unto  Thee,  who  call'st  earth's  buried  germs 
From  dust  to  splendor;  as  the  mortal  seed 
Shall,  at  thy  summons,  from  the  grave  spring  up, 
To  put  on  glory,  to  be  girt  with  power, 
And  flll'd  with  immortality." 

"  Common  in  old  country  gardens,"  is  the  term  we  often  hear  applied 
to  flowers  that  are  a  little  old-fashioned ;  yet  to  many  hearts  they  are 
very  dear.  Not  all  the  boasted  glories  of  Verbenas,  Coleus,  Achyranthus, 
and  all  the  newer  kinds  of  bedding-out  plants  can  wean  us  from  the 
flowers  our  grandmothers  loved  to  cherish.  Their  colors,  markings  and 
veinings  may  be  far  surpassed  by  the  flowers  of  the  present  day,  yet 
loved  hands  once  tended  them ;  bright  eyes  grew  brighter  at  the  sight 
of  them ;  and  they  are  associated  with  all  that  is  holy,  pure,  and  of  good 
report.  Who  does  not  like  to  remember  the  days  of  childhood,  when 
the  gathering  of  old-fashioned  flowers  in  grandmother's  garden  was  one 
of  the  highest  pleasures  of  life  ?  Cowper  says,  that  "it  is  a  pity  that  a 
kitten  should  ever  become  a  staid,  old  cat,"  and  there  certainly  are  indi- 
viduals who  are  tempted  to  wish  that  they  had  ever  continued  to  be 
children.  Do  you  remember  the  delicious  fragrance  of  the  white  Lilac 
bushes  that  grew  beside  the  door  step,  at  the  old  farm  house,  and  the 
handsful  of  Lilies  of  the  Valley,  that  you  used  to  gather  under  the  old 


120  EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

pear  trees,  beside  the  garden  beds,  where  grew  Sweet  Socket,  Violets, 
Columbines,  Spiderwort,  Fleur  de  Luce,  Daffodils,  Sweet  Williams, 
Gilliflowers,  Larkspurs,  Lychnis,  and  Nasturtiums,  bright  as  butter- 
flies ?  To  be  sure  you  do,  and  never  will  forget  them  while  memory 
serves  to  furnish  pictures  for  the  mind's  eye  to  view.  Perhaps  you 
gathered  them  to  adorn  a  fair  sister,  when  she  gave  her  hand  to  the  lover 
whom  all  considered  tried  and  true ;  or,  with  fast  dropping,  blinding 
tears,  they  were  plucked  to  wither  in  the  chilling  embrace  of  the  reaper, 
Death,  who  had  gathered  the  fairest  flower  of  the  hearthstone — the 
dearly  loved  baby — the  youngest  of  the  home  circle !  All  these  associ- 
ations, and  hundreds  of  others,  are  linked  to  the  "  old-fashioned  flowers  " 
of  the  past ;  so  let  us  make  room  for  them  in  the  garden,  and  cherish 
them  fondly  for  the  sake  of  those  who  once  loved  them  so  well. 

I  have  a  great  fondness  for  the  older  annuals  and  hardy  perennials, 
which  are  now  too  often  despised  and  neglected ;  many  of  them  are  cer- 
tainly more  beautiful  than  those  which  are  so  much  praised. 

A  well-pruned  "Snowball,"  in  full  bloom,  is  surely  a  thing  of  beauty! 
And  I  am  certain  that  there  are  many  discarded  flowers  which  would 
amply  repay  cultivation. 

The  tendency  of  the  age  is  to  run  after  all  that  is  rare  and  new,  and 
to  neglect  that  which  every  one  possesses,  forgetting  the  divine  command 
to  the  chief  of  apostles,  not  to  despise  anything  that  God  had  made,  nor 
to  esteem  it  common.  The  first  Dandelion  possesses  a  great  charm  to 
me,  is  always  gathered,  and  kept  in  water  as  long  as  a  trace  of  its  beauty 
remains.  If  it  were  a  rare  Japanese  or  Chinese  novelty,  how  we  should 
cherish  it !  but,  no,  it  grows  commonly  by  the  road  side,  and  in  every 
pasture,  so  we  pass  it  by. 

There  is  no  sweeter  flower  than  the  old,  neglected  Wall-flower,  yet 
who  cultivates  it  now  ?  A  recent  writer  says :  "  These  old-fashioned 
flowers  have  a  sweet  fragrance  which  does  not  belong  to  modern  favor- 
ites ;  and  however  much  the  last  may  delight  us,  they  do  not  make  us 
call  to  mind  those  delightful  passages  of  our  older  poets  that  made  our 
imaginations  paint  scenes  of  simple  rural,  floral  beauty  and  loveliness 
that  no  artistic  pencil  can  realize;  but  these  'old  ladies'  flowers,'  or 
f  flowers  of  the  poets,'  often  unveil  to  us  some  lovely  picture  or  scene 
that  long  since,  in  our  earlier  readings,  we  had  painted  in  the  chambers 
of  our  heart,  and  from  which  memory,  thus  assisted,  removes  a  pile  of 
rubbish  that  had  well  nigh  buried  it  in  oblivion." 


EVERY    WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  121 


So  we  plead  for  the  "  flowers  of  the  poets."  They  are  all  of  easy  cul- 
tivation, requiring  little  care,  and  blooming  in  endless  profusion  and 
beauty,  and  possessing  a  charm  and  loveliness  fully  equal  to  those  which 
their  modern  sisters  lay  claim  to. 

To  be  sure  the  Tiger  Lily,  which  was  supposed  to  be  the 

"  Emblem  of  human  pride  that  fades  away, 
Of  earthly  joy  that  blooms  but  to  decay," 

has  been  forced  to  feel  the  truth  of  the  lines,  and  vacate  its  high  estate 
for  the  more  beauteous  families  imported  from  Japan ;  but  the  Holly- 
hock, of  whom  it  was  said, 

"  How  high  his  haughty  honor  holds  his  head," 

has  grown  in  elegance  and  gorgeousness  of  coloring,  and  has  attained 
to  tne  front  rank  among  "florists'  flowers."  And  the  Aster  and  the 
Balsam  have  increased  in  beauty,  and  now  take  precedence  of  most  other 
annuals ;  and  the  Gilliflower,  like  a  real  friend,  attends  us  through  all 
the  vicissitudes  and  alterations  of  a  century,  even  growing  more  beauti- 
ful. But  the  Marigold  is  almost  superseded  by  its  more  brilliant  sister, 
Tagetes  signata  pumila,  which,  in  spite  of  its  high-sounding  name,  is 
nothing  but  a  single  Marigold. 

But  if  we  read  the  seedsmen's  catalogues  attentively,  we  shall  find  the 
seeds  of  all  of  these  "  old-fashioned  flowers  "  advertised,  and  can  supply 
ourselves  with  a  goodly  show  of  them. 


CHAPTEE  XYIIL 


VEGETABLES— WHAT  SHALL  WE  PLANT?    HOT-BED — ITS 

CULTUKE,  ETC. 

The  changes  which  the  art  of  the  florist  has  produced  in  double  and 
variegated  flowers,  are  not  to  be  compared  with  the  effects  of  cultivation 
on  vegetables  which  have  been  for  ages  man's  peculiar  property.  In 
their  wild  state,  they  are  now  scarcely  recognizable. 

From  the  Colewort,  whose  scanty  leaves  do  not  weigh  half  an  ounce, 
come  -the  sixty  pound  cabbages  which  are  often  seen  in  the  markets. 
From  a  small,  bitter  root,  comes  the  potatoes,  Early  Eose  and  Peerless, 
which  exhibit  the  wondrous  changes  which  have  been  wrought  in  them. 
And  so  on  to  the  end  of  the  catalogue  of  vegetables !  What  encourage- 
ment do  not  these  facts  afford  to  the  cultivator  who  desires  to  make 
improvements  in  some  classes  of  vegetables.  If  he  is  a  benefactor  to  his 
race  who  can  make  two  blades  of  grass  grow  in  the  place  of  one,  surely 
he  is  one  who  gives  to  us  a  "  Trophy  "  Tomato  or  a  Brezee's  "  Peerless ! " 

Leigh  Hunt,  speaking  of  vegetables,  says: — 

"  What  a  perpetual  reproduction  of  the  marvelous  is  carried  on  by 
nature,  and  how  utterly  ignorant  we  are  of  the  causes  of  the  least  and 
most  disesteemed  of  the  commonest  vegetables ;  and  what  a  quantity  of 
life  and  beauty,  and  mystery,  and  use,  and  enjoyment  is  to  be  found  in 
them,  composed  out  of  all  sorts  of  elements,  and  shaped  as  if  by  the 
hands  of  fairies !  What  workmanship,  with  no  apparent  workman ! 
What  consummate  elegance,  though  the  result  is  but  a  radish  or  an 
onion ! " 

The  care  and  oversight  of  the  vegetable  as  well  as  the  flower  garden, 
frequently  devolves  upon  women,  and  as  it  costs  no  more  time  and 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  123 

labor  to  grow  the  most  choice  kinds,  I  propose  to  give  a  selection  of  the 
varieties  which  are  the  best  for  home  culture. 

The  seedsmen's  catalogues  present  us  with  numerous  varieties,  which 
appear  quite  bewildering,  but  I  have  long  cared  for  home  vegetables,  and 
have  learned  what  are  the  most  desirable  for  my  table. 

In  buying  your  seeds,  do  not  depend  upon  those  purchased  from 
peddlers'  carts,  or  from  country  stores;  they  are  not  so  certain  to  be  pure 
and  fresh.  Seeds  from  selected  stocks  are  f*r  superior  to  those  gathered 
at  hap-hazard  from  fields  and  gardens.  So  be  sure,  and  provide  yourself 
with  a  catalogue  from  a  reliable  source,  and  send  thither  for  all  you  may 
desire. 

Asparagus  heads  the  list  of  early  vegetables;  it  is  almost  the  first 
green  thing  to  show  itself  in  the  spring.  Conover's  Colossal  is  very 
superior  to  the  common  kinds ;  it  will  frequently  send  up  from  twenty 
to  twenty-five  stalks,  as  large  as  a  man's  thumb,  from  one  plant.  But  it 
requires  high  culture,  and  much  room  to  do  this.  The  plants  should 
be  set  three  to  four  feet  apart  each  way,  and  be  thoroughly  manured, 
and  salted  in  November.  Early  in  March  and  April,  the  soil  should  be 
stirred  up  with  a  three-pronged  iron  hand-fork.  Thus  treated,  you  can 
grow  Asparagus  as  fine  as  any  seen  in  Fulton  market,  New  York. 

Bus7i  Beans. 

The  Newington  Wonder  and  the  Refugee  have  been  my  dependence ; 
but  last  season  I  tried  the  Dwarf  Wax — a  waxen -ye  How,  stringless  pod, 
and  consider  it  far  ahead  of  any  other  kind  for  table  use.  It  makes  a 
delicious  dish — nearly  equal  to  green  peas.  Among  Pole  Beans,  the 
Lima  is  not  surpassed  by  any  other  kind;  but  in  northern  New  England 
the  summers  are  too  short  to  grow  it  in  perfection,  so  I  substitute  the 
Dutch  Case-knife,  which  is  hardy  and  productive.  Butter  Beans  are 
also  very  good,  making  the  best  succotash  of  any  kind  of  Bean. 

Giant  Wax  Beans  will  keep  up  the  supply  of  string  beans  until  frost 
comes ;  their  waxy  yellow,  succulent  pods,  if  stripped  up  in  small  bits, 
and  boiled  two  hours,  will  provide  a  most  excellent  dish  for  the  table, 
for  many  weeks. 

Beets. 

Early  Flat  Bassano  has  been  the  earliest  variety  grown;  but  the  Dark 
Red  Egyptian  Beet  has  proved  to  be  ten  days  earlier  than  any  other. 
Its  color  is  of  the  deepest  red,  and  its  flavor  delicious. 


124  EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

The  Swiss  Chard,  or  Sea-Kale  Beet,  is  a  very  desirable  vegetable,  as  its 
leaves  can  be  boiled  for  greens  all  the  season.  The  thick,  white  midribs 
of  the  leaves  are  said  to  be  a  good  substitute  for  Asparagus.  If  cut  fre- 
quently, the  leaves  keep  shooting  up  afresh  until  autumn. 

Cauliflower. 

The  best  early  variety  is  the  Early  Erfurt,  a  compact,  dwarf  kind. 
Le  Normand  is  of  much  larger  growth,  and  later  in  blooming. 

These  vegetables  should  have  a  place  in  every  garden,  and  it  is  vastly 
superior  to  the  cabbage.  Dr.  Johnson,  of  literary  fame,  pronounced  it 
the  finest  flower  that  ever  bloomed. 

Cabbage. 

The  Early  Jersey  Wakefield  is  considered  the  best  among  the  early 
kinds,  as  it  rarely  fails  to  head.  Early  Winningstadt  is  the  best  for 
intermediate  use;  and  the  Premium  Flat  Dutch  is  considered  unequaled 
for  winter  use.  The  Green  Globe  Savoy  is  the  most  tender,  and  the 
finest  flavored,  as  a  general  rule ;  the  larger  the  head  of  cabbage,  the 
coarser  is  its  flavor. 

Be  sure  and  plant  some  cabbages  for  winter  salad.  They  are  unsur- 
passed for  this  purpose,  and  are  far  more  nutritious  if  eaten  uncooked. 

Cucumbers. 

Early  Russian  Cluster  is  the  earliest  kind  one  can  grow ;  but  their 
flavor  is  not  equal  to  the  Early  White  Spine,  and  the  pickles  made  from 
the  latter,  are  superior.  The  Long  Green  Prickly  is  the  firmest  and 
best  flavored ;  but  will  not  be  ready  for  the  table  as  soon  as  the  others. 

Celery. 

This  vegetable  demands  more  attention.  It  can  be  easily  raised  by 
growing  in  rows,  and  blanching  in  ridges,  if  trenching  is  too  much 
trouble. 

Incomparable  Dwarf  White  is  the  first;  of  a  very  dwarf  habit,  and 
solid.  Boston  Market  is  very  fine ;  White  Solid  is  also  desirable  for  its 
large  size,  and  crisp,  fine  flavor. 

Carrots. 

One  must  have  a  bed  of  these  for  seasoning  soups,  and  for  the  feathery 
green  leaves  to  mingle  with  dishes  of  flowers,  and  vases. 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  125 


Bliss'  Improved  Long  Orange  is  a  great  improvement  on  the  older 
kinds ;  is  better  flavored,  and  of  the  richest  color.  Large  White  Belgian 
is  fine  for  those  who  like  the  vegetable  served  like  squashes. 

Corn. 

Farmer's  Club  Sweet  possesses  a  delicious  flavor;  very  tender  and 
sweet. 

Moore's  Early  Concord  Sweet  is  a  new  variety,  obtained  from  crossing 
Crosby's  Early  with  Burr's  Improved,  and  is  said  to  be  unsurpassed  by 
any  other  kind,  either  early  or  late.  Trimble's  Sugar  is  a  very  fine 
variety  for  late  purposes. 

Egg  Plant. 

Pekin  New  Black  is  a  variety  from  China,  which  grows  to  the  height 
of  two  feet,  with  very  ornamental  foliage;  the  fruit  weighs  from  three 
to  six  pounds;  it  is  very  prolific,  and  of  delicious  flavor,  decidedly 
superior  to  any  other  kind  known.  Seed  must  be  sown  in  a  hot-bed,  in 
cold  climates. 

Kohl  Rabi,  or  Turnip-rooted  Callage. 

This  vegetable  is  a  cross  between  a  Turnip  and  a  Cabbage  in  its  flavor* 
and  makes  a  nice  dish.  The  Early  White  Vienna  is  the  best  variety. 

Lettuce. 

The  Early  Curled  Simpson  is  the  best  for  spring  use,  and  is  largely 
grown  in  the  neighborhood  of  New  York.  The  Large  Curled  India  is 
better  for  later  use;  it  does  not  run  to  seed  so  quickly  as  other  kinds, 
and  will  bear  the  sun  better.  The  Green  Paris  Cos  is  the  best  of  these 
varieties.  Dickson's  "All  the  Year  Kound"  is  a  valuable  novelty. 

Melons. 

Skillman's  Fine  Netted  takes  first  rank ;  and  for  lafer  use,  the  White 
Japan,  Pine  Apple  and  Green  Citron  are  the  best. 

Black  Spanish  Water  Melon  is  of  a  thin  rind,  and  rich  flavor.  Moun- 
tain Sprout  is  a  larger  and  later  variety. 

The  Long  Persian,  imported  by  Bayard  Taylor,  is  a  great  acquisition 
to  the  middle  and  southern  States;  is  very  large  and  of  the  most  deli- 
cious flavor. 

Joe  Johnston  Water  Melon  is  also  very  desirable  at  the  south;  ita 
flesh  is  deep  red,  and  remarkably  rich. 


126  EVERT    WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

Okra. 

The  Improved  Dwarf  Green  is  better  for  home  culture  than  the  com- 
mon variety  usually  grown ;  it  is  also  earlier,  and  is  equally  productive. 
The  green  pods  of  this  vegetable  are  used  in  making  the  famous  "  Gumbo" 
of  the  southern  States ;  and  are  always  desirable  for  every  kind  of  soup. 

Onions. 

Yellow  Danvers  has  long  held  first  rank  for  family  use;  but  now  the 
seedsmen  offer  us  rare  imported  varieties  from  Italy.  Early  White  Naples 
is  a  distinct  variety,  of  mild  flavor ;  often  the  bulbs  will  weigh  a  pound; 
white  skins,  and  very  tender.  New  Giant  Rocca,  of  Naples,  has  a  brown 
skin,  delicate  flavor,  and  bulbs  were  exhibited  in  England  which  weighed 
three  and  a  half  pounds.  Large  Italian  Eed  Tripoli,  flavor  mild  and 
pleasant ;  bulbs  have  grown  to  weigh  two  and  a  half  pounds. 

Peas. 

Landreth's  Extra  Early  is  said  to  be  the  earliest  for  garden  use,  and 
the  best.  Philadelphia  Extra  Early  is  also  desirable ;  but  with  some 
seedsmen  only  another  name  for  Landreth's.  Little  Gem  is  very  dwarf, 
and  of  fine  flavor;  grows  only  one  foot  high.  Hundred-fold,  or  Cook's 
Favorite,  is  a  first-class  variety;  early,  and  very  prolific.  Laxton's 
Supreme  is  the  earliest  wrinkled  pea,  and  has  the  largest  pods  of  any 
kind.  The  Champion  is  a  late  variety,  but  very  luxuriant,  and  much 
the  best  family  sort  raised. 

Parsnips. 

A  new  variety  of  these  vegetables,  called  the  Student,  is  much  sweeter, 
and  pleasanter  in  flavor,  than  the  older  kinds. 

Potatoes. 

Early  Rose  is  as  yet  unsurpassed  for  table  purposes,  both  in  its  early 
ripening,  and  its  prolificness.  Peerless  is  decidedly  the  best  late  potato 
in  cultivation ;  grows  a  very  large  size,  is  of  pearly  whiteness,  and  very 
delicious  flavor;  it  surely  is  the  ne  plus  ultra  of  Potatoes.  Jersey 
Peach  Blows  are  always  good,  but  do  not  yield  so  plentifully. 

Peppers. 

Sweet  Mountain  Peppers  should  be  grown  in  every  garden,  to  flavor 
the  pickles.  Large  Bell  are  early  and  not  as  acrid  as  other  kinds. 

Cayenne  are  quite  small,  cone-shaped,  coral-red  when  ripe.  Good  for 
pepper  sauce. 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  127 

Radishes. 

Of  the  Early  Turnip-rooted  varieties,  the  Scarlet  olive-shaped  and 
the  White  Turnip-rooted  are  the  best.  The  Long  Scarlet  Short  Top, 
and  the  Long  White  Naples,  are  the  most  desirable  of  the  long-rooted 
sorts.  The  Kose-colored  Chinese  is  good  for  winter  forcing. 

Spinach. 

This  vegetable  comes  so  early  that  every  garden  should  have  a  bed  of 
it.  The  Flanders  is  the  most  desirable  kind,  its  leaves  are  the  largest 
and  the  most  succulent.  The  New  Zealand  Spinach  thrives  best  during 
the  heat  of  summer. 

Sweet  Potatoes. 

The  Nansemond  has  been  the  best  kind  to  cultivate  at  the  north ;  but 
the  Queen  of  the  South  is  now  considered  its  superior. 


The  summer  varieties  are  the  Scolloped  Bush  and  the  Crook  Neck. 
Of  the  winter,  the  Boston  Marrow  is  the  best  early  sort.  Yokohama  is 
also  good;  but  the  Hubbard  excels  them  all,  and  if  kept  in  a  dry  place 
will  not  decay  until  June. 

Tomatoes. 

General  Grant,  Charter  Oak,  Crimson  Cluster,  and  the  Tilden  have 
been  held  in  high  esteem ;  but  last  year  the  Trophy  exceeded  them  all, 
and  is  expected  to  hold  the  first  rank.  The  White  Apple  Tomato  is  of 
very  delicious  flavor,  and  desirable  to  be  eaten  raw. 

Turnips. 

The  Red  Top  Strap-leaved,  and  the  White  Strap-leaved  are  the  best 
white-fleshed  turnips,  either  for  early  summer  or  winter  purposes. 

Among  the  yellow-fleshed,  Robertson's  Golden  Ball,  and  Early  Yellow 
Finland  are  considered  the  finest  grained,  and  the  most  delicate  flavored. 

Sweet  Herbs. 

A  bed  of  Sage,  Sweet  Marjoram,  Lavender  and  Caraway  must  not  be 
forgotten ;  all  of  them  will  grow  readily  from  seeds,  if  sown  in  beds  of 
well-prepared  garden  soil.  The  seeds  are  so  small,  that  they  will  not 
grow  unless  the  earth  is  very  finely  pulverized. 

Excepting  in  the  middle  and  southern  States,  a  hot-bed  is  required  to 
gtart  early  plants,  both  for  flower  and  vegetable  gardens. 


128  EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

Boxes  in  the  kitchen  windows  will  do  their  work,  but  a  hot-bed  is  by 
all  odds  the  easiest  method  of  forcing  plants  for  early  vegetables. 

Directions  for  Making  and  Planting  a  Hot-bed. 

Horse  manure  is  the  best  for  this  purpole,  because  its  heating  proper- 
ties are  more  intense;  cow  manure  will  do,  but  the  growth  of  the  plants 
will  not  be  as  rapid.  For  a  week  before  using  it,  turn  it  over  every  two 
or  three  days,  and  if  the  sun  is  not  hot  enough  to  cause  it  to  ferment, 
pour  pailsful  of  hot  water  over  it,  the  first  time  it  is  stirred  up ;  the  next 
time  throw  out  all  the  coarsest  part  of  the  litter.  When  the  whole  heap 
smokes  like  a  river  on  a  frosty  morning,  it  is  ready  for  use. 

Select  a  southeastern  exposure,  where  the  north  wind  will  not  strike 
upon  it;  a  board  fence  at  the  north  is  a  good  protection.  Build  up  the 
manure  two  or  three  feet  in  depth,  and  from  four  to  six  inches  longer 
and  wider  than  the  frame.  This  can  be  made  of  boards  fastened  tightly 
together,  and  should  be  higher  at  the  back  than  in  front,  so  that  it  will 
present  a  slanting  surface.  Set  the  frame  securely  into  the  manure, 
leaving  enough  outside  to  bank  it  up  well  from  the  frost.  Add  four  to 
five  inches  of  sandy  loam,  thoroughly  pulverized.  If  it  can  be  baked  in 
the  kitchen  oven,  and  then  sifted,  it  will  be  in  a  perfect  condition,  and 
no  weeds  will  grow  in  it.  Place  the  sashes  over  it,  and  let  it  heat  up 
for  two,  three  or  four  days,  according  to  the  warmth  of  the  sun.  Put 
your  hand  in  to  test  the  soil ;  if  it  feels  warm  it  is  ready  to  receive  the 
seeds.  The  glass  is  now-a-days  fitted  into  side  sashes,  lapping  at  the 
edges,  without  transverse  sash;  one  pane  covers  the  other  half  an  inch. 
This  gives  less  shade  upon  the  plants  from  the  sashes. 

Have  your  papers  of  seeds  in  a  basket,  with  little  sticks  split  at  the 
top  to  hold  either  the  printed  papers  or  written  labels ;  thus,  when  your 
seeds  are  up,  you  can  tell  an  early  or  a  late  cabbage,  tomato,  etc.  Also 
have  a  pan  of  common  or  scouring  sand,  well  warmed  in  the  oven.  This 
is  to  scatter  over  the  seeds,  and  it  will  make  them  grow  more  quickly 
than  loam. 

Plant  your  seeds  in  regular  rows,  an  inch,  at  least,  apart.  Thus 
planted,  you  need  not  transplant  all  of  them,  some  can  grow  in  the  bed 
all  summer.  Eadishes  should  be  planted  three  inches  apart.  Scatter 
the  warm  sand  over  the  seeds,  water  thoroughly  with  a  fine  rose  sprink- 
ler, with  warmish  water ;  don't  use  cold  at  any  time,  always  treat  your 
plants  to  a  slightly  warm  shower.  Rain  never  falls  chilly  cold. 


EVERT  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  129 

When  thoroughly  wet,  spread  newspapers  all  over  them,  and  for  two 
or  three  days  sprinkle  the  seeds  every  night  through  the  newspapers. 
This  keeps  the  soil  moist,  and  the  seeds  will  sprout  very  quickly.  In 
two  days  lettuce  will  show  itself;  and  as  soon  as  the  tiny  seedlings  are 
up,  the  papers  must  be  removed  directly,  else  they  will  damp  off. 
Planting  in  sods  has  been  recommended  for  those  vegetables  which, 
having  a  top  root,  would  not  transplant  readily.  I  have  tried  it  with 
great  success,  with  melons  and  cucumbers.  Sods  can  be  cut  from  the 
orchard  around  the  apple  trees,  or  from  the  road  sides.  Put  them  grass 
side  down  in  the  hot-bed,  and  plant  the  seeds  in  the  soil  clinging  to 
their  roots.  Cover  them  with  sand.  Water  and  shade  with  papers. 
Squashes,  Corn  and  Egg  plants  can  be  planted  in  the  same  way.  The 
sods  can  be  put  into,  or  near  a  window  in  the  barn,  and  the  seeds  will 
sprout  soon.  To  transplant,  the  sods  can  be  cut  into  pieces,  and  the 
plants  in  them  placed  in  the  holes  prepared  for  them.  For  Melons  and 
Cucumbers,  they  should  be  made  very  rich  with  manure ;  the  grass  will 
soon  decay,  and  the  vines  will  grow  most  rapidly. 

Transplanting. 

This  should  always  be  done  after  sunset.  If  the  plants  are  removed 
at  this  time,  they  will  never  know  that  they  have  changed  their  quarters. 
I  have  transplanted  tomatoes,  peppers,  lettuce,  etc.,  after  seven  o'clock 
in  the  evening,  and  not  a  leaf  has  wilted  the  next  day.  Rhubarb  leaves 
are  excellent  to  cover  young  plants  that  are  planted  by  daylight ;  they 
are  a  better  protection  from  the  sun  than  newspapers,  as  they  wilt,  and 
do  not  blow  off. 

Care  of  Hot-led. 

Any  one  can  make  and  plant  a  hot-bed,  but  it  requires  more  brains 
than  a  common  laborer  always  possesses,  to  take  care  of  one.  One  hour's 
neglect  at  noontime  will  scorch  every  tender  plant ;  the  same  time,  at 
night,  may  freeze  it.  Every  morning,  noon  and  night,  it  should  be 
visited.  If  the  night  is  chilly,  cover  it  tightly  with  old  carpets,  mattings 
or  boards ;  and  let  them  remain  until  the  sun  strikes  clear  and  warm 
upon  the  sashes.  If  the  morning  air  is  warm,  lift  the  glasses  a  little, 
and  by  noontime  admit  more  air.  Don't  keep  the  plants  so  warm  that 
they  will  spindle  up  —  nor  so  cool  that  they  will  chill.  You  must  exer- 
cise your  common  sense,  and  thereby  learn  to  keep  just  the  right  heat; 
a  little  experience  will  soon  teach  you  how  to  manage  the  sashes.  The 
9 


130  EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

weeds  must  not  be  allowed  to  grow,  and  on  a  sunny  day  when  the  sashes 
can  be  removed,  pull  them  all  up. 

The  Gardener's  Monthly  recommends  the  following  plan  for  a  minia- 
ture hot-bed,  for  raising  slips  in  the  summer  time :  "  Get  two  or  three 
boxes,  eighteen  inches  long  and  ten  or  twelve  inches  wide,  with  a  pane 
of  glass  to  cover  one  exactly;  have  a  hole  dug  deep  enough,  in  a  sunny 
location,  to  place  the  boxes  in  on  a  level  with  the  ground,  first  taking 
off  the  bottoms  of  the  boxes,  and  fitting  one  closely  on  to  the  other ; 
fill  up  the  first  with  fresh  stable  manure ;  in  the  second,  place  three  or 
four  inches  of  earth,  allowing  space  enough  between  the  earth  and  the 
top  of  the  box  to  set  in  the  pots  and  leave  three  or  four  inches  of  space 
above  it ;  pour  in  a  bucket  of  warm  water,  and  set  on  the  glass ;  let  it 
ferment  two  or  three  days,  then  fill  the  flower  pots  with  yellow  or  silver 
sand,  and  plant  your  cuttings;  whitewash,  or  smear  with  whitening  and 
water,  the  under  side  of  the  glass;  set  in  the  pots,  and  cover  with  the 
glass." 

Of  course,  some  of  the  slips  will  die,  and  they  will  need  to  be  watered 
daily  and  aired.  I  intend  to  try  the  process  this  season  in  raising  plants 
for  window  gardening. 

A  dry-goods  box  will  make  a  good  small  hot-bed.  Saw  off  the  side 
boards  and  the  front  one,  so  that  the  sash  will  slide  in  obliquely ;  put 
cleats  on  all  sides  to  support  the  sash;  sink  two  feet  into  the  ground; 
fill  up  with  fermenting  manure  and  good  sandy  soil,  and  you  will  find 
it  large  enough  to  raise  tomatoes  and  peppers,  with  a  large  supply  of 
flower  seeds  and  cuttings.  An  old  window  sash  can  do  duty  for  the 
glass.  A  little  ingenuity  will  help  one  greatly  in  making  hot-beds  out 
of  little  material.  A  good  kitchen  garden  is  a  capital  investment  for 
every  family.  It  requires  labor  and  some  brains  to  run  it  —  but  children 
will  often  supply  the  former,  and  the  housewife  must  not  lack  the  latter. 
It  should  not  be  left  entirely  to  the  mercies  of  Sambo  or  Patrick,  unless 
they  have  been  well  trained  in  its  culture.  As  I  have  said  before,  do 
not  expect  that  women  can  do  the  hard  work  of  a  garden  —  but  they 
can  plant  the  seed,  and  pull  the  weeds  —  if  they  will  not  let  them  get 
the  start  early  in  the  season.  "  One  year's  weeding  makes  seven  years' 
seeding,"  is  an  old  but  trite  proverb.  Hoe  up  the  weeds  when  only 
three  or  four  leaves  at  the  most  are  visible,  and  the  hot  sun  will  kill 
them  off. 


EVERY    WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  131 

Men  must  take  care  of  the  paths,  and  prepare  the  soil.  We,  of  the 
weaker  sex,  can  surely  do  the  rest — if  we  please  so  to  do.  One  of  the 
finest  -vegetable  gardens  I  ever  saw,  was  tended  by  a  lady  over  sixty 
years  of  age,  and  so  crippled,  by  an  accident,  that  she  could  not  walk 
without  a  crutch.  Yet,  she  planted  corn  and  cucumbers ;  beets  and 
beans;  potatoes  and  peppers;  tomatoes  and  turnips;  squashes  and 
spinach ;  and  her  garden  was  always  ahead  of  all  her  neighbors.  She 
kept  her  beds  without  a  weed,  and  her  walks  were  as  hard  as  if  rolled — 
no  weed  dared  show  its  tiny  head  long  enough  to  mar  their  surface. 
She  was  a  lady,  delicate,  refined  and  lovely,  and  her  flowers  and  straw- 
berries fully  equaled  her  vegetables.  Will  not  our  fair  sisters  strive  to 
imitate  her  example  ? 


OHAPTEE   XIX. 


ARRANGEMENT  OP  BOUQUETS  AND  VASES. 

Flowers  in  Churches. 

It  has  been  said  that  a  person  must  possess  the  "knack"  —  must 
have  a  taste,  an  eye  for  colors  —  in  order  to  arrange  flowers  in  bouquets, 
baskets,  etc.,  artistically.  And,  doubtless,  there  is  a  great  deal  of  truth 
in  the  remark.  One  who  does  possess  this  "  knack"  can  walk  through 
a  garden,  gathering  the  flowers  here  and  there,  and  arranging  them 
with  a  perfect  blending  of  color,  which  will  result  in  a  faultless  bou- 
quet ;  while  another,  with  the  same  flowers,  fails  utterly  to  produce  a 
charming  effect.  So,  one  sees  that  the  art  of  flower  arranging  is  too 
fine  and  delicate  to  be  reduced  to  rules.  Yet,  there  are  a  few  which 
may  be  of  use  to  flower  lovers  who  are  not  gifted  with  a  truly  artistic 
eye.  All  flowers  will  not  mix  readily,  but  are  only  seen  in  perfection 
when  arranged  by  themselves.  Wild  flowers  will  not  mingle  tastefully 
with  their  cultivated  brethren,  but  must  be  arranged  by  themselves.  A 
bouquet  of  Laurel  is  very  beautiful ;  but  mingle  with  it  the  coral  and 
topaz  bells  of  the  Columbine  and  you  spoil  its  effect.  And  Gentians, 
Azaleas,  May-flowers,  and  last,  but  not  least,  the  pearly  white  Water 
Lily,  are  seen  to  the  best  advantage  when  in  clusters  by  themselves. 

Lilies  of  the  Valley  require  only  a  background  of  their  own  green 
leaves,  to  show  forth  most  charmingly  their  perfect  beauty.  Balsams 
can  only  be  arranged  in  flat  dishes,  with  a  mingling  of  Rose  Geranium 
leaves  to  add  the  fragrance  which  they  lack.  Sweet  Peas,  so  soft  and 
liquid  in  tint,  with  their  exquisite  rose  colors,  purple  and  browns,  and 
pearly  whites,  are  ruined  if  mingled  with  dazzling  Geraniums  or  Verbe- 
nas. Put  them  in  a  tall  stemmed  glass,  and  cover  them  with  the 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  133 

feathery  mist  of  the  Oliver,  or  Gypsophila  Muralis,  then  they  will  glow 
like  a  sun-set  cloud  at  eve. 

Royal  Lilies  must  be  placed  in  tall  vases  or  glasses,  and  Roses  blend 
perfectly  with  them,  while  Fuchsias  will  droop  lovingly  between  them. 

Give  Pansies  and  Anemones  a  tiny  vase  by  themselves,  and  see 
how  glorious  they  are.  When  you  have  a  large  basket  of  flowers  to 
arrange,  make  a  harmonious  blending.  Put  the  celestial  blues  of  the 
Larkspurs  beside  the  brilliant  scarlets  of  the  Verbenas  and  Geraniums; 
then  add  the  snowy  whiteness  of  some  Phlox  or  Candytuft,  and  judge 
for  yourself  of  the  effectiveness  of  the  tri-color.  Yellow  is  very  useful 
in  the  vivid  arrangement  of  bouquets  and  vases.  Place  it  beside  the 
ruby-red  Fuchsias,  near  to  the  royal  purple  Verbenas,  and  see  how  it 
enhances  the  brightness  of  their  hues.  Among  the  white  Roses,  min- 
gle pink  Verbenas  or  Geraniums;  and  with  royal  purple  add  cream- 
colored  Stocks  or  Roses ;  then  fill  in  with  the  neutral  tints  of  the 
Mignonette,  Ageratum,  Heliotrope,  etc.,  etc.,  —  soft  and  sweet  —  and 
they  will  heighten  the  contrast  of  the  more  gorgeous  hues,  yet  do  not 
conflict  with  them.  A  Sofrano  rose  bud,  a  sprig  of  Mignonette,  a  Tube- 
rose, and  a  bit  of  scarlet  Verbejia,  mingled  with  Heliotrope  and  sweet 
Verbena,  and  some  feathery  green  leaves,  make  as  perfect  a  bouquet  as 
one  can  desire  to  see. 

If  flowers  could  only  pose  themselves,  it  would  be  a  great  saving  of 
trouble  to  many  flower  raisers —  and  doubtless  the  effect  would  be  very 
charming ;  but  this  pleasure  is  denied  to  them,  and  our  ignorant  fingers 
put  them  hither  and  thither,  often  in  most  horrid  contrasts  and  shad- 
ings. 

Remember  this  one  rule  —  never  put  blue  and  purple  together ;  never 
let  crimson  and  scarlet  be  in  juxtaposition ;  nor  bright  pink  and  scar- 
let. Arrange  your  flowers  in  shadings  of  the  same  color,  or  in  contrasts, 
with  a  plentiful  mixture  of  white  and  neutral  tints.  In  shading  flat 
dishes  of  flowers,  place  the  darkest  in  the  center  and  shade  out  to 
white. 

The  present  fashion  among  florists  is  to  arrange  bouquets,  baskets, 
etc.,  so  as  to  consume  as  many  flowers  as  possible ;  and  the  crowding 
together  of  such  quantities  produces  stiffness  and  formality  —  where 
lightness  and  gracefulness  should  be  especially  sought  for. 

The  foliage  belonging  to  each  plant  is,  usually,  the  best  adapted  to 
its  peculiar  beauty.  The  Camellia,  without  its  leaves,  is  a  chilly,  cold 


134  EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER, 

flower;  but  combined  with  its  rich,  glossy  foliage,  it  produces  a  charm- 
ing effect.  The  contrast  of  their  perfectly  curved  lines  and  their  har- 
monious substance,  reveal  the  pure  beauty  of  the  flower. 

Bouquets  for  the  hand  should  not  be  composed  of  solid,  heavy  flowers, 
but  of  those  of  delicate  structure,  and  of  exquisite  fragrance.  Such 
bouquets  naturally  undergo  close  inspection,  and  they  should  consist  of 
rare  ferns  and  bright  flowers,  intermingled  with  those  that  are  sweet  as 
well  as  lovely.  Always  place  the  most  gorgeous  colors  in  the  center  of 
bouquet,  vase  or  basket,  and  shade  out  into  perfect  whiteness,  relieved 
by  green  foliage. 

If  you  desire  to  arrange  a  central  piece  for  a  dinner  or  supper  table, 
at  its  base  place  the  feathery  leaves  of  ferns,  lycopods,  etc.,  and  twine 
around  the  vase  light,  graceful  vines.  In  the  center  arrange  scarlet 
flowers,  mingled  with  blue  and  white,  and  edge  the  vase  with  the  veined 
leaves  of  the  Ornamental  Foliage  Plants.  These  plants  are  very  useful 
in  arranging  floral  devices;  they  provide  the  snowy  whiteness  and  the 
rich  wine-red  colors  of  flowers. 

Experience  is  the  best  teacher  in  directing  us  to  arrange  our  flowers 
most  advantageously.  And  we  need  to  heed  her  teachings  in  every 
department  of  life. 

A  lovely  dish  of  flowers  can  be  made  out  of  soup,  oyster  and  preserve 
plates.  Take  the  largest  sized  deep  plate  your  pantry  will  give,  fill  it 
with  scouring  sand,  thoroughly  wet;  edge  it  with  the  leaves  of  some  tri- 
colored  Geranium,  or  with  the  bright-hued  Achyranthus,  mingled  with 
some  white  flowers — Feverfew,  Candytuft,  or  Sweet  Alyssum  will  do  — 
cover  the  stems  with  another  soup  plate,  not  so  large,  so  that  the  flowers 
and  leaves  will  project  beyond  it;  fill  it  as  before  directed,  and  edge  it 
with  some  yellow  flowers,  Chlora,  Oxura,  Calceolaria — or  any  you  can 
select.  If  the  Geranium  leaves  were  used  before,  mingle  with  these  the 
wine-red  leaves  of  the  Variegated  Plants.  Proceed  ^as  before,  and  place 
on  the  edge  of  the  dish  bright  blue  Delphiniums,  Blue  Salvia,  or  the 
lovely  Forget-Me-Not,  mingled  with  sweet-scented  Geranium  leaves. 
In  the  center  add  a  large  cluster  of  scarlet  Geraniums,  Verbenas,  etc., 
mingled  with  white  flowers.  A  vase  of  Sweet  Peas  can  crown  the  whole ; 
and  over  it  all,  mingle  the  misty  Oliver  or  Gypsophila  Muralis,  whose 
soft  veil  I  deem  indispensable.  The  effect  is  truly  artistic !  Purple 
flowers  can  be  substituted  for  the  blue,  and  you  can  make  your  own 
selection  of  colors  and  flowers.  The  fairy  bells  of  the  Fuchsias  are  very 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  135 

lovely  among  the  silvery-edged  leaves.  Tropaeolums  mingle  prettily 
with  the  darker  leaves. 

A  dish  of  flowers  thus  arranged  will  be  "a  thing  of  joy"  for  two  or 
three  days.  The  sand  can  be  wet  every  day  with  tepid  water.  It  will 
make  a  beautiful  ornament  for  a  dinner  or  supper  table.  Flowers  are 
always  delightful  when  arranged  in  the  dining  room.  The  wise  man  of 
Queen  Elizabeth's  court — the  immortal  Bacon — never  sat  at  his  table 
without  flowers.  In  his  "  Essays,"  Leigh  Hunt  says :  "  What  ornament 
is  there — what  supply  of  light  or  beauty  could  we  discover,  at  once  so 
exquisite  and  so  cheap,  that  should  furnish  our  table  with  a  grace 
precious  in  the  eyes  of  the  most  intelligent  ?  "  Set  flowers  on  your  table, 
a  whole  nosegay  if  you  can  get  it,  or  but  two  or  three,  or  a  single  flower 
— a  rose,  a  pink,  even  a  daisy,  ay,  or  a  bunch  of  clover  and  a  handful  of 
flowering  grasses,  one  of  the  most  elegant  as  well  as  the  cheapest  of 
nature's  productions — and  you  will  have  something  on  your  table  that  will 
remind  you  of  the  beauties  of  G-od's  creation,  and  give  you  a  link  with 
the  poets  and  sages  that  have  done  it  most  honor.  Put  but  a  rose,  or  a 
lily,  or  a  violet  on  your  table,  and  you  and  Lord  Bacon  have  a  custom 
in  common,  for  he  was  in  the  habit  of  having  the  flowers  in  season  set 
upon  his  table,  morning,  noon  and  night.  The  fashions  of  the 
garments  of  heaven  and  earth  endure  forever,  and  you  may  adorn  your 
table  with  specimens  of  their  drapery — with  flowers  out  of  the  fields  and 
golden  beams  out  of  the  blue  ether. 

The  first  new  boughs  in  spring,  plucked  and  put  into  a  vase,  have 
often  an  effect  that  may  compete  with  flowers  themselves,  considering 
their  novelty ;  and  indeed,  "  leaves  would  be  counted  flowers  if  earth 
had  none."  Does  any  reader  fancy  that  to  help  himself  to  comforts  like 
these,  would  be  "trifling"?  Oh,  let  him  not  so  condescend  to  the 
ignorance  of  the  proud  or  envious.  If  this  were  trifling,  then  was  Bacon 
a  trifler,  also  the  great  Cond6,  and  the  old  republican  Ludlow,  and  all 
the  great  and  good  spirits  that  have  loved  flowers,  and  Milton's  Adam, 
nay  heaven  itself,  for  heaven  made  these  harmless  elegancies,  and  blessed 
them  with  the  universal  good- will  of  the  wise  and  innocent. 

And  surely  there  is  nothing  more  interesting  than  the  world  of 
flowers.  Earth,  with  seemingly  careless  prodigality,  throws  them  out, 
masterpieces  of  infinite  finish — all  different,  each  perfect. 

Nothing  in  life  has  afforded  so  much  delight  to  so  many  hearts ;  and 
nothing  has  gladdened  and  brightened  so  many  eyes ! 


136  EVERT  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

Cutting  and  Preserving  Flowers. 

Flowers  should  never  be  cut  during  the  intense  heat  of  the  day,  but 
either  while  wet  with  dew  in  the  early  morn,  or  after  sunset,  when  the 
falling  dew  has  revived  them. 

Do  not  break  them  off  harshly,  but  cut  them  with  a  knife  or  scissors ; 
the  former  is  the  best,  as  it  cuts  the  cleanest,  and  does  not  lacerate  the 
minute  tubes  which  draw  up  the  water  that  nourishes  the  flower ;  if 
these  pores  or  tubes  are  closed  up  the  flower  soon  withers.  I  find  sand 
far  cleaner  to  place  them  in  than  pure  water;  that  soon  becomes  dis- 
agreeable, while  the  sand  can  be  thoroughly  wet  every  morn,  and  keep 
for  weeks  with  no  unpleasant  odor  about  it.  If  flowers  are  desired  to 
be  kept  a  great  while,  the  ends  of  the  stalks  should  be  cut  off  a  little 
every  time  you  change  the  water,  and  a  pinch  of  saltpetre  and  salt  tends 
to  prevent  their  decay.  Soap  suds,  which  have  been  widely  recommended, 
spoil  the  flowers  very  quickly.  "Warm  water  will  revive  wilted  flowers ; 
put  the  bouquet  into  water  warm  to  the  hand,  let  it  remain  for  an  hour 
or  more,  then  cut  off  the  stalks  a  little  and  put  into  fresh  warm  water, 
only  lukewarm,  and  they  will  brighten  wonderfully. 

A  few  drops  of  liquid  ammonia  added  to  the  water  are  said  to  revive 
faded  flowers,  but  I  have  never  tried  the  remedy. 

If  sand  cannot  be  obtained,  put  a  few  bits  of  charcoal  in  the  water, 
or  fill  the  vase  with  them  and  water,  and  put  the  stalks  between  them ; 
add  fresh  water  every  day,  turning  out  the  old,  and  your  flowers  will 
keep  a  week  or  more.  Never  turn  ice  water  into  the  vases,  it  chills  the 
life  out  of  the  flowers — is  murder  in  the  first  degree.  To  be  sure,  the 
.ice  pitcher  is  always  at  hand,  but  keep  its  contents  away  from  your 
vases.  Eain  water  is  always  the  best  for  watering  plants,  or  for  keeping 
fresh  flowers,  and  it  should  be  given  a  little  warm,  even  if  the  tea- 
kettle has  to  be  resorted  to  to  render  it  so. 

While  gathering  flowers,  don't  pick  such  quantities  that  some  will 
wither  before  they  can  be  placed  in  water.  If  you  have  too  many  to 
care  for  directly,  put  them  on  a  tray  and  sprinkle  them  with  water,  then 
they  will  not  wither  and  become  limp.  Geranium  leaves  once  withered 
never  regain  their  fresh  beauty,  and  Pansies  once  curled  up  will  never 
unroll  in  perfect  loveliness.  Don't  be  chary  of  picking  your  flowers — 
the  more  you  gather  the  more  you  will  have.  Give  them  to  all  your 
friends — a  bounteous  giver  is  always  rewarded.  In  selecting  vases,  don't 
buy  the  gorgeous  flowered  china  ware,  or  the  brilliant  Bohemian  glass, 


EVERY   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  137 

but  the  pure,  transparent  glass  that  shows  the  twining  stems  of  the 
flowers,  and  the  ivory  white  Parian  marble,  around  which  the  graceful 
vines  will  clasp  so  tenderly. 

Silver  and  bronze  are  always  beautiful,  but  a  tasteful  straw  basket, 
holding  a  glass  dish  filled  with  flowers,  will  often  produce  as  lovely  an 
effect  as  the  precious  metals. 

Flowers  in  Churches. 

In  adorning  the  Communion  Table  or  the  Font  with  flowers,  we 
should  select  those  that  are  bright  and  gorgeous,  as  such  colors  were 
used  by  the  artists  of  the  middle  ages,  and  from  time  immemorial  there 
has  been  a  symbolism,  especially  in  religious  ceremonies  and  decorations. 
Red  is  the  symbol  of  Divine  love ;  white,  of  Divine  wisdom ;  yellow  is 
a  symbol  of  the  revelation  of  the  love  and  wisdom  of  God ;  blue,  of 
Divine  eternity  and  of  human  immortality. 

Our  Puritan  forefathers,  in  fleeing  from  the  persecutions  and  cere- 
monies of  an  established  Church,  cast  from  them  all  outward  adorn- 
ments ;  we,  of  these  later  days,  desire  to  see  our  churches  adorned  with 
the  "  Green  Things  of  the  Earth,"  and  the  practice  of  adorning  our 
churches  with  vases  and  baskets  of  flowers  is  becoming  quite  universal. 
I  hope  it  will  spread,  until  every  little  village  church  can  boast  of  its 
sweet  floral  adornments,  from  the  earliest  May  flowers  of  the  Spring  to 
the  crosses  and  crowns  of  "  Christmas  Greens." 

It  is  but  little  labor  for  several  ladies  in  each  congregation  to  agree 
to  furnish  the  flowers.  A  large  marble  "  tazza"  can  be  purchased  either 
out  of  the  church  funds,  or  through  the  benevolence  of  the  rich  of  the 
parish.  To  fill  these  every  Sunday  morn  with  all  that  is  lovely  and 
sweet,  cannot  but  be  a  work  of  love. 

I  recall  a  village  church  which  I  once  attended,  whose  pulpit  was 
made  beautiful  with  large  vases  of  Roses  and  Spireas,  mingled  with  the 
trailing  vines  of  the  Money  Wort.  The  old  deacon  brought  them  in, 
with  an  half-concealed  air  of  pride,  and  placed  them  on  each  side  of  the 
pulpit  cushion,  upon  which  lay  the  Bible.  His  daughter  arranged  them 
from  the  flowers  that  were  in  season  every  week,  and  he  delighted  to 
carry  her  floral  offering  to  the  Lord,  and  lay  it  upon  His  altar. 

"  If  there  is  any  kind  of  adornment  which  more  than  another  seems 
fitted  to  God's  house,  it  is  that  thoughtful  use  of  the  '  Green  Things 
of  the  Earth.'" 


138  EVERT   WOMAN  HER   OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

Flowers  are  the  painted  sculpturings  of  nature — the  shapes  and  colors 
of  beauty,  which  the  Creator  has  lavished  upon  the  world — and  surely 
they  can  never  be  employed  for  a  better  purpose.  In  the  church,  flowers 
suggest  thoughts  that  are  in  unison  with  the  occasion,  and  the  time 
and  care  thus  bestowed  on  the  adornment  of  the  church  are  not  without 
their  reward. 

Pious  thoughts  arise  while  skillful  fingers  are  busy  with  the  work 
which,  as  it  is  done  for  the  sake  of  God's  honor,  must,  from  its  very 
nature,  be  linked  with  good  to  all  concerned  in  it.  "  Whoso  offereth 
me  praise,  glorifieth  me." 

"  Bring  flowers  to  the  shrine  where  we  kneel  in  prayer, 
They  are  nature's  offering,  their  place  is  there! 
They  speak  of  hope,  to  the  fainting  heart, 
With  a  voice  of  comfort  they  come  and  part ; 
They  sleep  in  dust  through  the  wintry  hours, 
They  break  forth  in  glory— bring  flowers,  bright  flowers." 


CHAPTER  XX. 


GENERAL  MANAGEMENT  OF  THE  GARDEN. 

The  Soil  Best  Adapted  to  its  Growth. 

The  most  desirable  soil  for  flowers,  particularly  for  Annuals,  Peren- 
nials, etc.,  is  a  mellow  loam,  that  will  not  bake  down  and  crack  open 
under  the  influence  of  hard  showers  and  hot  suns.  If  you  do  not  pos- 
sess a  good  soil,  why,  of  course,  you  must  do  the  best  you  can,  and  you 
can  improve  a  stiff,  clayey  soil  by  adding  sand  or  ashes  and  manure. 

A  flower  garden  must  have  good  drainage ;  if  water  settles  upon  its 
surface,  and  freezes  and  thaws  during  the  winter,  you  may  be  sure  that 
your  plants  will  not  survive.  There  is  no  use  in  trying  to  grow  flowers 
in  poor  soil ;  but  every  one  can  make  a  small  compost  heap,  in  an  out-of- 
the-way  corner,  and  give  it  all  the  soap  suds  on  washing  days  that  are 
not  needed  on  the  borders.  When  the  leaves  fall,  secure  all  you  can ; 
hire  a  small  boy  to  gather  them  for  you,  and  put  them  on  the  pile ;  they 
are  said  to  be  the  very  poetry  of  manure — certainly,  they  contain  the 
best  elements  of  flower  food.  Add  to  this  heap  the  weeds  that  are  col- 
lected, but  don't  have  any  seed-pods  among  them ;  throw  upon  it  all  the 
slops  from  the  house,  and,  by  the  next  year,  you  will  have  good  plant 
food.  It  must  be  turned  over  several  times  so  as  to  expose  it  to  the 
action  of  the  air.  A  load  of  grass  sods  from  the  meadow  is  the  best 
foundation  for  such  a  "  bank."  To  use  this  season,  procure  a  large  bar- 
rel, and  fill  it  up  with  as  good  soil  as  your  garden  can  boast,  then  turn 
into  it,  every  morning,  the  slops  from  the  chambers.  No  disagreeable 
odor  will  arise  from  it,  but  a  rich  soil  will  be  made.  Use  it  carefully, 
putting  a  few  tablespoonsful  about  the  roots  of  the  plants,  and  digging 


140  EVERY   WOMAN  HER   OWN  FLOWER   GARDENER. 

them  in,  so  as  not  to  touch  the  stems.  Dig  this  about  the  roots  of  your 
Geraniums,  Roses,  Verbenas,  Pansies,  etc.,  not  letting  it  come  in  direct 
contact  with  the  tender  roots,  and  you  need  not  complain  of  the  poverty 
of  the  soil ;  while  the  rich  blooms  of  your  flowers  will  fully  repay  the 
extra  labor.  The  barrel  can  be  hid  away  under  vines ;  and,  as  the  earth 
is  used  up,  add  more  to  it.  The  Japanese  and  Chinese  gardeners  can 
teach  us  a  lesson  in  these  matters.  Nothing  is  wasted  in  their  country 
and  their  flower  gardens  are  wonderfully  beautiful  and  gorgeous. 

"  Eternal  vigilance,"  Gen.  Jackson's  pet  phrase,  applies  particularly  to 
gardening.  One  cannot  grow  fine  flowers  without  some  labor;  and  you 
will  soon  learn  that  constant  efforts  are  needed  to  make  the  flowers  grow 
into  fine-shaped  plants,  filled  with  blossoms.  You  cannot  garden  one 
week,  and  let  it  alone  the  next ;  but  you  must  watch  it,  and  water  it,  and 
weed  it,  daily,  if  you  would  be  successful.  It  requires  as  much  care  to 
cultivate  a  handsome  garden,  as  to  grow  cabbages,  melons  and  tomatoes, 
and  no  more. 

An  open  exposure  is  desirable,  where  the  sun  will  have  free  access  to 
the  plants;  there  are  some  flowers  like  Fuchsias,  Primroses,  Daisies 
Pansies,  etc.,  which  bloom  far  better  in  beds  that  are  sheltered  from  the 
noonday  sun ;  and  their  tastes  should  be  gratified.  Yet  nearly  all  plants 
love  the  sun,  and  grow  better,  if  directly  under  its  influence. 

Selection  and  Sowing  of  Seeds. 

This  is  a  matter  of  importance  to  amateur  gardeners,  who  usually 
desire  the  handsomest  kinds  that  can  be  grown.  It  takes  no  more  time 
and  care  to  grow  a  small,  poor,  single  flower  than  a  rich,  double  variety ; 
and  the  cost  is  but  little  more.  Always  purchase  your  seeds  of  reliable, 
well-known  seedsmen,  and  do  not  content  yourself  with  those  offered  by 
small  traders. 

Seed  raisers  who  make  it  a  business,  raise  only  the  finest  kinds ;  the 
poorer  sorts  do  not  pay.  Hundreds  of  dollars  worth  of  good  seeds  are 
annually  wasted  because  the  growers  do  not  know  how  to  plant  them. 
They  require  a  very  finely  pulverized  soil ;  and,  if  the  coarser  particles 
are  sifted  out,  the  seeds  will  germinate  more  surely.  In  the  Chapter 
on  ANNUALS,  minute  directions  are  given  for  sowing  seeds.  Since  writ- 
ing it,  I  have  sowed  sixty,  or  more,  different  varieties,  and  hardly  one 
has  failed  to  germinate.  Every  seed  of  some  varieties  has  come  "up." 
There  is  no  difficulty  in  their  culture,  if  you  will  only  take  a  little  pains 


EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  141 

in  planting  them,  and  shield  them  from  the  sun,  with  newspapers,  for 
two  or  three  days. 

Weeding. 

This  is  usually  considered  a  terror;  but  if  you  will  use  a  small  rake 
and  hoe,  as  heretofore  advised,  every  morning,  for  a  few  minutes,  you 
will  keep  the  upperhand  of  them.  The  first  leaves  of  weeds  or  plants 
are  their  sole  nourishment ;  cut  them  off  and  the  young  weeds  must 
die,  however  tenacious  of  life  they  may  be. 

Watering. 

Leaves  absorb  and  give  out  moisture,  and  inhale  and  exhale  air ;  they 
are  the  lungs  of  every  plant,  and  if  they  are  destroyed  the  whole  plant 
suffers.  The  pores  in  the  leaves  of  all  plants,  by  which  they  transmit 
air  and  moisture,  are  exceedingly  small,  and  liable  to  be  filled  up  if 
exposed  to  smoke  and  dust ;  therefore,  if  there  are  not  plentiful  showers, 
you  must  water  them  freely  every  evening.  It  is  of  but  little  use  to 
give  water  after  the  sun  has  risen.  In  this  hot,  dry  climate  the  water- 
ing pot  is  a  necessity,  and  tubs  of  water  should  be  drawn  from  hydrant 
or  pump  every  morning,  and  allowed  to  set  in  the  sun,  to  take  off  the 
chill;  then,  after  seven  o'clock  p.  M.,  apply  it. 

Planting  Out,  Pruning,  etc. 

The  branches  and  leaves  of  plants  rarely  touch  one  another  while 
growing,  and  you  should  learn  from  them  not  to  crowd  your  plants  in 
bed  or  border ;  for  air  and  light  are  quite  as  needful  as  water  and  good 
soil. 

When  shrubs  produce  an  abundance  of  foliage  and  no  flowers,  either 
remove  them  to  a  purer  soil,  or  cut  through  some  of  the  principal  roots. 
Root-shortening  is  often  resorted  to,  by  florists,  to  force  plants  to  bloom. 

By  checking  the  growth  of  plants,  you  throw  strength  into  the  flow- 
ers. All  shrubs  produce  their  flowers  on  the  terminal  points  of  the 
branches ;  after  the  bloom  is  past,  if  these  are  pinched  off,  you  will  have 
two  or  three  branches  for  one  in  the  succeeding  year. 

All  plants  are  in  their  most  vigorous  growth  while  in  flower,  and 
should  never  be  transplanted  at  that  time,  for  it  will  check  their  growth, 
if  it  does  not  kill  them.  This  is  the  time  for  taking  cuttings,  as  they 
are  then  most  ready  to  send  forth  roots.  The  throwing  off  of  its  leaves 
by  a  newly  planted  cutting,  is  a  sign  that  it  has  begun  to  grow,  while 


142  EVERY  WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

if  the  leaves  wither  on  the  stem,  it  shows  that  the  cutting  had  not 
strength  enough  to  send  forth  shoots. 

You  can  train  a  plant  into  any  shape  you  please,  by  pinching  off  the 
shoots,  for  the  plant  will  avenge  itself  hy  sending  forth  two  or  three 
more,  in  lieu  of  the  one  you  pinched  in.  A  plant  pinched  in  June  will 
flower  in 'July;  if  pinched  in  July,  it  will  flower  in  August.  All  buds 
proceed  from  the  tips,  and  by  pinching  in  Carnations,  Bouvardias,  Fuch- 
sias, etc.,  their  flowers  will  be  put  back  and  they  need  not  be  allowed  to 
bloom  until  autumn.  This  method  of  training  will  produce  thick, 
bushy  plants,  filled  with  many  small  shoots,  which,  when  left  unmo- 
lested, will  produce  hundreds  of  buds  and  flowers. 

To  procure  a  succession  of  Roses,  prune  down  to  three  eyes  on  all 
the  branches  of  some  bushes,  as  soon  as  the  buds  begin  to  expand; 
defer  the  same  operation  with  others,  until  the  leaves  are  expanding;  on 
the  former  bushes  the  three  buds  will  bear  early  flowers ;  in  the  latter, 
they  will  not  begin  to  expand  until  the  others  are  in  full  foliage,  and 
will  bloom  later  in  the  season. 

Dry,  east  winds  are  very  injurious  to  plant  life,  by  absorbing  the 
moisture  from  the  leaves  of  the  plants  more  quickly  than  they  are  able 
to  give  it  out ;  they  will  often  wither  the  plants  as  badly  as  a  frost,  and 
should  be  guarded  against  in  the  same  way.  Cover  all  your  plants  with 
papers,  boxes,  etc.,  if  they  are  so  unfortunate  as  to  be  exposed  to  it.  I 
have  seen  an  east  wind  nearly  ruin  a  flourishing  bed  of  Verbenas  and 
Heliotropes  in  the  month  of  May.  If  your  grass-plat  becomes  overrun 
with  moss,  manure  the  surface,  and  the  grass  will  soon  catch  in  and 
expel  the  intruder. 

Plants,  when  in  bloom,  have  all  their  juices  in  the  most  perfect  state ; 
therefore  ,cut  all  aromatic  and  medicinal  herbs  just  as  they  begin  to  send 
up  flowering  stalks. 

Profuse  flowering  exhausts  the  strength  of  plants ;  therefore  remove 
all  seed  pods  that  are  not  especially  desired  for  seed.  Do  this  to  all 
perennials,  and  you  will  have  much  finer  blossoms  the  ensuing  season. 

Saving  of  Seeds. 

Though  the  gathering  of  seeds  reminds  us  that  the  beauty  of  the 
flower  is  gone,  it  is  a  pleasing  occupation,  because  it  promises  us  pleasure 
for  another  year.  As  an  usual  thing  it  is  better  to  depend  upon  the 
seedsmen  for  your  supply,  but  if  you  have  very  fine  flowers,  choose  two 


EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  143 

or  three  plants  and  pick  off  all  the  side  buds,  sending  the  whole  strength 
of  the  plant  into  two  or  three  blossoms  at  the  most ;  frequently  one  is 
quite  enough.  Tie  up  the  plants  with  colored  yarn,  so  that  no  one  will 
pick  them ;  pull  up  all  the  single  flowers  that  might  mix  with  them, 
and  you  may  be  quite  sure  of  saving  good  seed.  Gather  them  on  a  dry 
day,  when  the  seeds  are  thoroughly  dry.  Seeds  preserved  in  the  seed  vessel 
are  more  clumsy  to  pack  away  than  those  which  are  cleaned,  but  they 
are  said  to  keep  fresher.  When  ready  to  sow  them,  clean  them  by  pass- 
ing them  through  sieves,  having  holes  large  enough  to  let  the  dust 
escape  and  retain  the  seeds.  Small  sieves  can  be  made  of  a  thin  bit  of 
pasteboard  cut  in  a  circular  form,  and  the  edges  turned  up,  then  pierce 
the  bottom  of  it  with  holes  made  with  a  pin  or  a  darning  needle.  Make 
several  different  sized  sieves,  and  rub  the  seeds  through  the  different  ones* 

A  lady  can  make  a  small  cabinet  of  pasteboard,  with  as  many  drawers 
in  it  as  there  are  letters  of  the  alphabet,  and  as  she  ties  up  the  packets, 
each  can  be  put  into  its  corresponding  drawer;  or  a  paper  bag  with  each 
letter  of  the  alphabet  marked  upon  it,  can  hold  the  seeds  until  desired 
for  planting. 

Preparing  Pots. 

If  new  pots  are  used  for  any  kind  of  seeds  or  plants,  they  should  be 
soaked  in  water  for  a  few  hours,  as  they  will  otherwise  suck  away  the 
moisture  from  the  earth,  and  nothing  is  worse  than  to  water  seeds  too 
often,  or  let  them  become  dried  up.  All  empty  pots  should  be  washed 
and  cleaned  before  using  again. 

Taking  up  and  Preserving  Flowers  in  Winter. 
One  is  often  in  a  great  quandary  to  know  what  to  do  with  large  bushes 
of  Geraniums,  Roses,  Feverfews,  Heliotropes,  etc.,  that  have  grown  so 
finely  all  summer,  and  now  the  frost  threatens  to  lay  them  low  forever- 
All  the  plants  that  have  a  woody  nature,  can  be  preserved  in  a  dry, 
cool,  perfectly  dark  cellar.  Last  autumn,  I  had  a  splendid  bed  of  Zonale 
Geraniums — every  color  and  hue,  and  some  fifteen  plants.  What  should 
I  do  with  them  ?  I  could  not  bear  to  lose  them  forever !  So  I  took  a 
large  box,  and  filled  it  with  a  light  soil,  and  planted  the  roots  in  it,  first 
cutting  off  all  the  tender  branches,  and  leaving  none  over  twelve  or 
fifteen  inches  long;  on  these  the  leaves  were  left,  but  every  blossom  was 
cut  away.  The  box  was  placed  in  a  cold,  damp,  perfectly  dark  cellar, 
where  potatoes  never  freeze;  no  water  was  given  it  the  whole  winter, 


144  EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

and  the  first  of  May  it  was  brought  up  with  every  root  alive.  The  leaves 
had  all  fallen,  and  the  stems  were  dead  down  three  or  more  inches.  I 
cut  them  back  six  inches,  and  bright  leaves  are  now  starting  from  every 
branch. 

I  live  in  the  coldest  climate  in  New  England,  where  one  has  to  fight 
for  flowers  or  fruits.  "Nine  months  of  winter,  and  three  months  of 
spring,"  describes  the  rigorous  climate,  and  all  Roses  excepting  the 
tender  Teas,  will  live  under  sods.  They  are  cut  from  the  meadows  or 
road  sides  early  in  November;  then  the  bushes  are  carefully  laid  down; 
and  the  sods  are  placed  over  them  grass  side  up.  Last  winter  there  was 
but  little  snow,  but  my  roses  kept  finely.  A  large  shovelful  of  manure 
was  thrown  around  the  roots  before  the  branches  were  laid  down,  As 
the  sods  were  being  placed  over  the  Roses,  I  laid  a  small  piece  over  two 
Feverfews  that  grew  near,  and  they  are  both  alive.  They  will  live  out 
in  milder  climates,  but  are  rarely  known  to  do  so  in  this  frigid  zone, 
under  Mt.  Washington's  shadow.  Fuchsias  and  Heliotropes  can  be  kept 
in  boxes  in  the  same  manner.  Also  Oleanders,  Sweet  Verbenas,  and 
nearly  all  flowers  but  Verbenas ;  they  require  light,  heat  and  moisture  to 
live. 

Zonale  Geraniums  can  be  wintered  in  most  cellars,  if  the  earth  is 
shaken  from  the  roots,  and  they  are  tied  up  by  them  to  the  beams  of 
the  cellar.  All  blossoms  should  be  cut  off,  or  the  sap  that  is  in  the 
branches  will  cause  them  to  bloom,  and  thus  rob  the  rooits  of  the 
strength  they  need  to  live  on  through  the  winter.  A  damp  cellar  will 
cause  them  to  decay.  Scarlet  Salvias  can  be  kept  in  the  same  way. 

Roses  and  Geraniums,  etc.,  can  be  buried  in  trenches.  Dig  it  two 
and  a-half  feet  in  depth,  and  where  the  water  will  not  settle ;  lay  in  the 
plants,  first  throwing  in  a  few  shovelsful  of  dried  leaves,  or  boards  can 
be  laid  over  the  plants ;  fill  in  with  sandy  loam,  and  finish  off  with  a 
ridge  that  will  carry  off  the  water.  If  the  trench  is  lined  with  straw 
before  the  plants  are  laid  in,  they  are  less  liable  to  decay.  It  is  no  use 
trying  to  make  "  window  gardens"  out  of  plants  that  have  flowered  all 
summer.  They  must  have  a  season  of  rest,  and  they  are  only  desirable 
for  another  summer  after  they  have  slept  away  the  winter  in  the  cool, 
dark  cellar. 

Sleep  of  Flowers. 

It  is  said  that  nearly  all  flowers  sleep  at  night.  The  Marigold  goes 
to  sleep  with  the  sun,  and  awakes  at  its  bidding.  The  Dandelion  shuts 


EVERY    WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER.  145 

tightly  its  bright  blossoms  before  nine  in  the  evening,  and  does  not  fully 
open  them  until  at  six  in  the  morning.  The  Daisy  closes  its  flowers  in 
the  evening,  and  opens  its  "  day's  eye"  to  meet  the  earliest  beams  of  the 
rising  sun.  The  Goat's  Beard  wakes  at  three  in  the  morning,  and  goes 
to  sleep  by  five  or  six  in  the  afternoon.  The  Crocus,  Tulip  and  many 
others  sleep  peacefully  at  night.  The  Ivy-leaved  Lettuce  awakes  at 
eight  in  the  morn,  and  closes  forever  by  four  in  the  afternoon.  The 
Night  Blooming  Cereus  turns  night  into  day ;  it  expands  its  magnificent 
fragrant  chalices  in  the  twilight,  is  fully  blown  at  midnight,  and  sleeps 
never  to  awake  again  at  the  dawn  of  the  morning.  In  a  Clover  field, 
not  a  leaf  opens  until  touched  by  the  sun's  rays.  An  English  florist 
has  closely  watched  the  habits  of  the  flowers,  and  thus  reports  concerning 
them. 

Insects. 

Insects  abound  in  every  month  of  the  year,  but  they  are  especially 
annoying  in  Summer  time.  With  the  first  warm  days  they  appear  in 
numbers,  and  cover  the  Roses,  etc.  Rain  causes  them  to  disappear,  but  a 
dry,  east  wind  increases  them.  A  small  painter's  brush,  dipped  in  quassia 
or  aloes  water,  will  brush  them  oif  and  destroy  them. 

The  caterpillars  of  many  moths  and  butterflies  are  destructive  in  the 
garden,  and  one  death  in  the  Spring  will  save  much  warfare ;  so  if  you 
see  one  resting  on  a  stem  or  leaf,  with  folded  wings,  it  is  probably  a 
female  and  should  be  killed  directly.  If  one  is  found  dead  on  a  plant, 
she  has  doubtless  laid  her  eggs,  and  you  must  search  for  them  under- 
neath the  leaves  and  burn  them.  A  garden  syringe  or  engine  is  the  best 
weapon  with  which  to  wage  warfare  against  both  aphides  and  caterpillars. 
You  must  hold  the  pipe  close  to  the  plant,  and  pump  hard,  so  as  to 
bring  a  considerable  stream  upon  it,  and  it  will  soon  be  free  from  them. 
Every  time  you  use  it,  you  should  rake  the  earth  away  from  under  the 
plants,  and  trample  upon  the  insects  you  have  washed  off. 

Earwigs  are  very  destructive  insects.  Their  favorite  food  is  the  petals 
of  roses,  pinks,  fuchsias,  dahlias,  etc.  They  eat  at  night,  and  in  the 
daytime  hide  away  in  the  dark  vegetation.  They  can  be  caught  by 
driving  stakes  into  the  ground  and  inverting  a  flower-pot  directly  over 
them,  leaving  just  room  for  them  to  crawl  under,  and  then  look  for 
and  destroy  them  every  morning. 

Grubs  on  orchard  trees  and  small  fruits,  will  sometimes  spoil  the 
whole  harvest ;  but  if  a  bonfire  is  made  with  dry  sticks  and  weeds  on 
10 


146  EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

the  windward  side  of  the  orchard,  the  smoke  will  blow  among  the  trees 
and  destroy  hundreds,  while  the  flames  will  attract  many  moths.  Make 
the  fire  after  nightfall. 

Wasps  destroy  a  quantity  of  fruit,  and  all  that  you  can  kill  in  the 
spring  will  save  a  swarm  in  the  autumn.  But  be  careful  about  letting 
them  sting  you,  for  the  smart  is  severe.  If  stung,  get  out  the  blue-bag 
from  the  laundry,  and  rub  it  well  into  the  sting,  or  cover  the  spot 
with  soft  soap,  or  liquid  ammonia,  to  neutralize  the  acid  of  the  poi- 
son. Saleratus  wet  and  rubbed  on  the  wound  will  also  mitigate  the 
pain. 

Cherish  the  little  black  and  red  lady-bug,  for  it  will  destroy  many 
green  lice,  or  aphides.     They  are  often  to  be  found  on  the  currant 
bushes,  and  I  always  catch  them  and  give  them  a  home  among  my  roses 
and  geraniums. 

Toads  are  among  the  best  friends  that  we  can  cultivate,  so  be  sure  to 
treat  them  with  kindness.  They  may  eat  a  few  strawberrries,  but  let 
them  have  that  privilege  in  return  for  the  immense  quantities  of  insects 
they  will  also  eat.  If  you  can  have  none  in  your  garden,  it  is  well  to 
seek  for  them  in  your  walks,  and  bring  them  home,  handling  them 
carefully,  for  though  they  have  no  power  to  injure  you,  being  perfectly 
harmless,  you  can  easily  kill  them.  I  have  a  portly  couple  of  them  who 
live  under  my  front  door-step,  and  nightly  come  forth  to  feed  upon  my 
enemies — the  noxious  insects — eating  bugs,  grubs,  moths,  millipedes, 
and  caterpillars. 

Bees,  of  various  kinds,  are  useful  in  spreading  the  pollen,  so  be 
sure  to  bid  them  welcome  to  all  the  hidden  sweets  your  flowers  con- 
tain. 

Cultivate  the  Beautiful. 

"Flowers  seem  intended  for  the  solace  of  ordinary  humanity.  Chil- 
dren love  them ;  quiet,  tender,  contented,  ordinary  people  love  them  as 
they  grow ;  luxurious  and  disorderly  people  rejoice  in  them  gathered. 
They  are  the  cottager's  treasure,  and,  in  the  crowded  town,  mark,  as 
with  a  little  broken  fragment  of  rainbow,  the  windows  of  the  workers, 
in  whose  hearts  rests  the  covenant  of  peace.  To  the  child  and  the  girl, 
to  the  peasant  and  manufacturing  operative,  to  the  grisette  and  the  nun, 
the  lover  and  the  monk,  they  are  precious  always."  Thus  writes  Ruskin, 
the  prose  poet  of  the  century. 


EVERT   WOMAN  HER    OWN  I LOWER    GARDENER.  147 

.  The  cultivation  of  "  The  Beautiful "  should  be  the  desire  of  every 
woman's  heart.  Goethe's  sentiment,  "We  should  do  our  utmost  to 
encourage  the  Beautiful,  for  the  useful  encourages  itself,"  should  be  our 
watchword.  There  are  few  women  who  do  not  take  delight  in  flowers, 
and  the  object  of  this  little  book  is  to  encourage  them  to  cultivate  them 
around  and  about  their  own  homes,  where  their  fragrance  will  delight 
every  one  that  passes  by  them. 

They  speak  to  us  of  love  and  joy;  of  hope  and  peace;  of  humility 
and  confidence ;  and  also  of  bitter  sorrow  and  grief —  for  they  are  asso- 
ciated with  those  who  have  passed  away,  and  whose  loss  has  darkened 
the  horizon  of  our  lives.  They  also  teach  us  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  and  the  life  immortal  that  fadeth  not  away.  They  adorn  the  sol- 
die)  s  grave ;  they  circle  the  brow  of  loveliness ;  they  crown  the  festive 
hall ;  they  are  everywhere,  and  are  closely  mingled  with  both  joy  and 
sorrow. 

They  are  not  a  necessity  to  many  of  us;  but  they  teach  us  to  Jive 
nearer  to  God.  Truly  Mrs.  Howitt  writes  of  them : 

' '  Our  outward  life  requires  them  not, 

Then  wherefore  have  they  birth  ? 
To  minister  delight  to  man, 

To  beautify  the  earth  I 
To  comfort  man— to  whisper  hope, 

Where'er  his  faith  is  dim, 
For  whoso  careth  for  the  llowers, 

Will  much  more  care  for  Him  !'* 

I  truly  pity  those  who  cannot  turn  from  the  hurry  of  business  with 
all  its  corroding  cares,  from  the  pomp  of  wealth,  and  the  gay  devices  of 
fashion,  and  feast  their  senses  and  their  souls  upon  the  sight  and  per- 
fume of  a  flower ! 

Far  better  to  teach  our  daughters  to  cultivate  roses  on  the  cheeks, 
and  in  their  gardens,  to  ornament  their  rooms  with  the  fragrance  and 
beauty  of  roses  and  lilies,  and  all  the  gorgeous  sisterhood  of  flowers,  than 
to  make  ruffles,  and  puffs,  and  plaits  and  endless  puckers  wherewith  to 
adorn  themselves.  Children  can  easily  be  taught  to  love  flowers,  and 
the  taste  can  never  be  used  to  deteriorate  the  character. 

Linnaeus,  the  renowned  Swedish  botanist,  was  the  son  of  a  poor 
country  clergyman,  who  had  a  small  flower-garden,  in  which  he  culti- 
vated all  the  flowers  which  he  could  procure,  and  his  means  would 
permit. 


14'8  EVERY    WOMAN  HER    OWN  FLOWER    GARDENER. 

From  the  earliest  childhood  he  taught  his  son  to  love  them,  cultivate 
them,  and  rejoice  with  intense  delight  in  their  rich  and  varied  color- 
ings. In  this  way  he  created  in  him  the  tastes  and  desires  which  made 
him  the  first  botanist  and  naturalist  of  his  age. 


FINIS. 


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